Conflicting Identities
by Kerria Flower
Summary: Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...
1. Chapter 1

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>The Troubled Teenager<p>

Echizen Ryoma, daughter of the famous Samurai Nanjiroh and heiress to the Takeuchi Fortune, Echizen Rinko nee Takeuchi. They're very wealthy as the prodigious man won tournament after tournament before he 'vanished' from the Professional Circuits, only to be revealed happily married to the heiress of the Takeuchi Group in Japan, Rinko, and that they had a daughter Ryoma. When he got cornered, he revealed that family and his 'cute baby daughter' is more important than being a pro right now so he plans on being a full-time father.

Needless to say, his publicity ratings soared high with that statement. Ryoma grew up in America at the Californian Countryside with their home close to the beach. The family fixed the beach so it had no rocks or shells to injure their feet, and had a boundary wall built in the waters, so they can freely swim without worrying about any sea critter, especially sharks. Their man-made pool had been cleared of said critters so needless to say, Ryoma frequently visited the beach to swim and have fun as a little girl. She had a happy childhood in America, as her parents taught her many things before sending her to school...

And of course, her training in Tennis. And she proved to be very gifted.

Her father burst into tears on how proud he was of his genius little girl. If she kept this up, she could definitely be number one someday. And Ryoma wanted to do her father proud, naturally, but...

When she became seven years old...

She has been dreaming. Of a world with a dark sky, blood-red clouds and golden lightning, and vast forests and mountains. Then she saw herself holding various valuables and alongside her, was a beautiful man with silver hair and white clothing. Then the sensation of happiness as they ran together. Besides breaking in and thieving, they would kill monsters and bathe in blood.

The dreams became frequent as she grew up.

Then when she was ten...a nightmare was too much...that both she and the man nearly died while fighting, and barely survived. When she woke up the next day, her weapons were on her lap the minute she took off her blankets. She stared in disbelief as she held her weapons that disappeared soon afterwards. She was in shock.

'What...is this?' she choked as she grasped in thin air. 'My dreams...my weapon...' she gasped as she took a deep breath...and willed the sickles to appear again. They did. They were also obviously sharp. She looked at the clock and saw that it was three in the morning. She snuck out with expertise, and headed out for the beach with her weapons...and looked to her dreams for guidance as she practiced using her weapons, both in close combat and long-range. She could manipulate them with her will alone but it exhausted her. 'What am I? Why do I have these dreams and powers...?' she wondered to herself as with stubborn sheer will, she continued on practicing.

She made it a habit to practice her powers every night, under the guise of playing around in the beach.

She got better eventually, and used her dreams as a guide to train herself. But unlike her dream self, she has yet to get hurt. Sure, she experienced sore muscles and joints but cuts and bruises...? Ouch! She was forced to forsaken her social life in a bid to get stronger, causing her to become what she is now, antisocial yet arrogant to her opponents in the courts but she has the skills to back up her arrogance. She is also playfully childish which she mixes in with her arrogance and enjoys provoking her opponents but at times, she is calm and silent and prefers to observe. Her childish arrogance only comes to play on the courts.

Her life in America ended though, after she finished Grade 6 in her local school...and after she bagged four consecutive Junior High Championships, with her opponents being boys bigger than she was.

And her dreams soon got worse, when they moved to Japan.

xxx

Japan, that spring...

'Well, this will be our new home, hime-chan.' said Echizen Nanjiroh, her father as they got out of the moving truck, and the movers led by her mother, took charge of what goes where in their home.

'It's not by the beach.' Ryoma complained with a grunt as Nanjiroh patted her head. 'Why not a house by the beach, oyaji?'

'Not this time around hime-chan. Because you'll be attending my old school...where I started to become great. Seigaku.' Nanjiroh told her as they went inside the gates.

'Seigaku?' she asked her father curiously who nodded and they stayed by the gardens.

'Aa. It's where I started to become great. That will be your starting point. You will also learn there what I can't teach you, should you join the Tennis Club.' Nanjiroh told her. His daughter raised an eyebrow before scoffing.

'You can't teach what they can teach me?' Ryoma blurted incredulously. 'You, the undefeated Tennis player in the world...?'

'Hey, there's more to Tennis than just skills kid.' said Nanjiroh snarkily. 'If you didn't learn what I learned in my old school in the capable hands of my old coach, you will never stand a chance against me.' he told her with a smile but his tone had foreboding in it. 'And that's a given, so off to school you go.'

That's what her father said...as they soon settled down in their new home, with her cousin Meino Nanako, her father's niece on his family's side moving in out of convenience as their home is near her College School. She moved in on that same day.

And that same day, that night...

Her once soundless dreams...gained sounds all of a sudden. Her voice sounded deep! She in her dreams, is a man! This freaked her out. Bad. But at least she now knew the names of the two men in her dreams...

She was Kuronue...and the silver fox was Kurama. NOW she knew where to start. 'My dreams are stronger in Japan...' she muttered as she woke up at three...again. 'I better go around and investigate.' she mused as she took a shower as she woke up sweaty, and dressed up in her spare pajamas before falling back onto her bed. 'Dammit...who am I...what am I? Ryoma or Kuronue?'

And she thought deeply for a long time.

Her memories were from 3700 years ago from the demon Kuronue. Now for some reason she couldn't comprehend, she has his memories, abilities and powers. He was a Quest-Class Demon who could create objects with his energy, and the guy preferred silver chained sickles. But hey, he can still create anything and so can she. But the difference was, she is human.

Yet a human with YOUKI. Talk about shit-gone-wrong.

She stayed awake till morning, unable to sleep. And when sunrise came...

She was more tired than ever, and slept in.

'Damn.' Well...Ryoma:0, Bed:1.


	2. Seigaku

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

A:N- My Ryoma here will be just like canon Ryoma with a bit of femininity in it. However, the spelling of her name will be different. Instead of リョーマ, mine will be 了真 meaning 'genuinely understanding' or it could also mean 'understanding demon' if the second kanji is this 魔. And Kuronue's one.

* * *

><p>Seigaku<p>

1 week since moving to Japan...

'Hime-chan!' Nanjiroh called out to his daughter...who wore the boys' uniform. 'What's with the cosplay?' Ryoma snorted at this.

'Baka oyaji, I'm not cosplaying...I'm wearing this to school.' Nanako dropped the spatula on her thankfully-in-slippers left foot, her mother STARED and Nanjiroh almost sprayed his tea at the ladies of his house.

'WHAT?' they all squawked as they all turned sharply to look at the only child in the house.

'Young lady! Get changing this instant!' Rinko cried as she pointed at the stairs. But Ryoma didn't budge.

'I bought three pairs of this uniform kaasan. I didn't buy the girls' uniform when I enrolled.' The rest of the family face-faulted.

'B-but why?' Rinko choked in horror. 'They allowed it?' she asked her daughter incredulously who shrugged.

'I asked the Principal who said he didn't give a damn what uniform I wear as long as I do well in school.' said Ryoma. 'And you should have seen the girls' uniform...I'll look like a PLANT in it! It's green! Green shirt and green skirt with an out-of-place pink ribbon...and I have dark green hair!' she grunted with a scowl in complaint. 'I'm not wearing that crap!'

'But still...'

'Still nothing kaasan, I refuse to look like a freaking living plant.' Ryoma grumbled. 'If I had a different hair color, I might consider.'

'This is gonna be weird ladies...a 'long-haired boy' will be coming to school.' Nanjiroh cackled as he began to crack up, earning a kick to his shin from his wife. 'Eep!'

'Ryoma-chan, as long as you're still a girl, act like one even if you wear that thing alright?' Rinko made her daughter promise. 'I DO have dreams of you becoming a bride one day! Make a good impression!' Ryoma grimaced at the mere thought of getting married. She's a MAN at heart! A man!

'Ulp...hai.' Ryoma sighed while feeling ||(-_-)||. After breakfast, Ryoma quickly left for school to avoid the awkward atmosphere.

'Er Rin-chan?' Nanjiroh asked his wife. 'When do we tell her about YOUR side of the family? They'll be bound to pop up when she grows up.'

'We tell her when they DO pop up.' Rinko told her husband with a chuckle. 'Not knowing about my side enabled us to raise Ryoma-chan well into a sensible girl who doesn't care about being rich and luxury. Had she known my side, she would probably be iredeemably spoiled had we lived on my side of the family.' Nanjiroh smirked at her at this. 'What?'

'You're quite the black sheep as when I met you, I didn't know you're a wealthy heiress as you wore brandless clothes and wore stuff from second-hand stores!' he said. 'You shocked the hell out of me when you introduced me to your parents...in a freaking estate!'

'Hey, I had to hide I'm wealthy since most people wants rich friends for connections, not for 'being friends'.' Rinko grunted. 'My chances of marrying also shot down until I met you.' she said with a reminiscing smile. 'My parents approved of you because you're hardworking and wealthy in your own merits.'

'Awww Rin-chan~!'

"And this is where I wisely leave these two to their lovey-dovey." Nanako thought as she snuck away while the background behind her went pink with bubbling red hearts.

xxx

Seishun Gakuen...

'Humm...let's check out the courts, shall we?' she mumbled. 'Dad proudly calls this place his starting point after all.' and she went looking for the courts to see nobody in it...well, almost nobody. There were three freshmen boys who were getting duped by old trick...trying to topple a can filled with rocks. One idiot even claims that he has two years of Tennis Experience...but he couldn't even aim right after twenty tries.

Gullible fools aren't worth saving. Besides, she shouldn't reveal herself at least just yet. She scoffed and left them to the mercies of the upperclassmen, when she bumped into another senpai. 'Hey there kid...you gonna leave them to the obvious cheating of my clubmates?' he asked her with a raised eyebrow.

'...lessons are best learned the hard way for them to grow. Not all senpais are kind and welcoming. That's only a mask to trick gullible idiots...like so.' and Ryoma glanced back at the courts. 'Even I learned it the hard way just by observing them. See ya.' and Ryoma left or was about to, when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

'Then how about a match with me?' said the senpai. 'I'm Momoshiro, a regular.' said Momoshiro. 'You play Tennis right? C'mon.' he compelled with a grin. Ryoma merely raised an eyebrow at him.

'...you have an injured left ankle, idiot.' Momoshiro looked genuinely surprised at this. 'We'll have that match when you're better. Two days' tops.' and Ryoma took his hand off her shoulder and walked away, and Momoshiro watched her go.

"Well, I'll be...I didn't act injured, but he knew I had an injured ankle and where my injury is..." Momoshiro thought as he watched her go...unaware that she's a girl. Can't blame him as he knew plenty of people with long hair...but not as long as hers and that she spoke in masculine speech. "What an interesting person." and he went to scold his clubmates for their trickery of their freshmen and caused a bad impression on a future club member he just met(who knew what they were up to in a glance).

In short, he wasn't too happy.

xxx

Later that dismissal...Ryoma was quite amused with her class. She thought that with long hair and her face, they could figure her out but can crossdressing really make that much of an impression to the point that they can't tell she's a girl? Moreover, she had UNWANTED fangirls who go for 'his looks'! Now that, was just plain creepy as she quickly fled for the courts.

"Mattaku, this is just plain weird and creepy!" she swore as she went to the locker rooms to get changing into her tennis attire, a white shirt with red sleeves and black shorts. She put on her cap, and tied her long hair into a low ponytail. She had gone to look for her father's mentor, Ryuuzaki Sumire who was in the Clubroom with two older boys.

'Sensei.' Ryoma greeted. Ryuuzaki perked up when she came.

'Oh! You're here! About damn time Ryoma.' Ryuuzaki greeted. 'Gonna sign up?' the girl nodded as Ryuuzaki took out the member listing form and Ryoma signed her name on but with different writing. "?" 'Er Ryoma, this wasn't on your birth certificate...' Ryuuzaki deadpanned.

'Oh, I persuaded my mom to change the spelling so I got a new certificate.' Ryoma grinned. 'I'll go to the courts now.' and she left.

'You seem close, sensei.' said one of the two boys with her, Oishi Shuichiro, Vice-Captain of the club.

'Well, she's the daughter of my former disciple and I've been present at her birth you know. I'm even her godmother.' said Ryuuzaki with a chuckle. 'Well, let the club believe she's a boy for now. Let them judge her by her skills because if they know she's a girl, she'll be judged for her gender.'

'But sensei, can girls be in the same club as boys though?' Oishi asked his coach worriedly. 'I mean, physical abilities alone are a huge difference...'

'Yes. That rule still stands now. But because girls feel they can't compete with boys because of the very reason you stated, the gender-segregating clubs were formed for their sake.' said Ryuuzaki. 'So Ryoma can play with boys on the same level.' and she procured a videotape. 'You two should watch this. It's her tournament records in America when she won four consecutive Junior High Tournaments...for third year junior high boys and at the time, she was only in grade 5.' she said with a smirk. 'Her best skill is her ball control abilities. With using ball spins, she could make them go anywhere she wanted the ball to go...and increase power in her shots although that uses a lot of energy, and weaken her shots using the same technique and specializes in court trickery. She would seem to do one thing, only to end up fooling the audience and even _fool her own father_ who watched her matches. She could also hit sinkers...so she could be Fuji's rival as his techniques rely on spins. Just watch it.'

The Captain, Tezuka merely took the tape. 'Oishi. Take charge.'

'Eh? Sure...'

xxx

At the courts...

Ryoma was there sure enough, doing a little warm-ups...until she got approached by Momoshiro. 'Hey there! Long-haired kid!' he called out as he jogged towards her. 'Nice to know you joined us even after a bad impression!' across the courts, Arai and Ikeda sneezed.

'I still won't play you until two days passed by, idiot.' Ryoma told him snarkily as Momoshiro glomped him.

'Awww c'mon! Don't be like that!' Momoshiro whined as he gave her a noogie. 'I'm holding you on to that, though!'

'Tche. Whatever.' Ryoma scoffed as she sat on the ground to tighten her shoelaces. Momoshiro still hung out with her for who knows what reason and he was starting to grate on her nerves but stayed silent. As long as she stayed quiet, so did he.

xxx

At the Audio Visual Room...

Tezuka watched Ryoma's matches in the aforementioned tournaments. Granted, the american junior schoolers had skill but Ryoma made them look like beginners in comparison. He wondered how she would fare against their regulars...moreover, him? She has talent and potential that should be polished some more, if she is to stay in their club.

She has lots more to work on.

xxx

Back at the Courts...

'Hey Momo!' Kikumaru called out as he approached Momoshiro. 'How about a game with me? I'm bored!' he complained. 'And Oishi's not here...'

'Hey, I have an injured ankle remember?' Momoshiro deadpanned, then he got a bright idea. 'I know, how about you play him?' he asked as he pointed at Ryoma who blinked.

'Eh? But he's a freshman with probably no experience...' Kikumaru croaked out and that, pissed Ryoma off but she stayed quiet and took out her racket.

'Humm...I'll try.' Ryoma yawned. 'There's nothing to do anyway and I'm bored.' and he stood up.

'Nyaa...' Kikumaru looked rather unsure about this as they went to the courts. 'Which, er?'

'Echizen. Echizen Ryoma.' said Ryoma, introducing herself. Mine's smooth.'

'Hey, isn't that Eiji about to play a match with the freshman?' Kawamura Takashi wondered as he was doing warm-ups with Inui Sadaharu.

'Yes but what's he up to?' Inui wondered aloud.

'Saa, this should be interesting...' Fuji chuckled as they went to watch.

'Rough so it's me first, chibi-chan!' Kikumaru grinned as all activity on the courts stopped to watch these two play. Afterall, it's not everyday that a Regular plays with a freshman of all people. Kikumaru began his serve, Ryoma returned the ball and soon, they found themselves astonished that a freshman could keep up with a third year...without losing a point for at least twenty minutes.

Color them impressed, and Ryoma was inwardly laughing. "Maybe it's about time to slaughter him. I'm done studying him." she thought as she brutally retaliated using her ball-control skills. Kikumaru, seeing her first strike at offensive decided to go offensive as well.

'Yanno~!' he swore as he began using his signature attacks using his acrobatics but for some reason, she knew where he would hit, and would be there before the ball struck, hence she had one heck of a defense. "Why is it that I couldn't get a point from him? It's like..." he thought as no matter what he did, her defense was too strong!

Eventually, he lost. 6-0...much to everyone's disbelief.

'No way...I lost...' Kikumaru croaked in shock as the whole court was in disbelief as well.

'My pride is my skills in defense.' Ryoma chuckled. 'Nobody and I do mean nobody ever got a point past me.' "And I think I'll keep my cover that way."

xxx

By the time Tezuka was done with the video...he is indeed impressed enough. He had gone to the courts to sneak around and watch the club, until Kikumaru and Ryoma had a match at the courts. Besides what Ryuuzaki told him, she could also predict the path of the balls just by watching how her opponents move. A skill he and a few noteworthy people he knew possessed.

He knew that this match alone will be one hell of a wake-up call to his team and the whole club and maybe, push them to work harder.


	3. First Action

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>First Action<p>

After that match with Kikumaru, Tezuka showed up and took charge, immediately. 'Oishi. What do you think?'

'S-er-he's very good...Eiji couldn't even take a point from him!' Oishi sputtered as he almost nearly slipped up and spilled the beans about their new member. 'His defenses are solid I have yet to...oh wait, Rikkaidai's got one, nearly forgot him. But I wonder if he could be on par with him though...?' he wondered aloud.

'That remains to be seen.' said Tezuka. After club showertime...Ryoma was about to leave the school when Kikumaru ran after her. 'Chibi-chan wait!' he cried as he ran after her.

'Nandesuka, senpai?' Ryoma asked Kikumaru as she stopped. The redhaired senpai came to her, panting. A thing she took note of.

'Well I was wondering how you got that good nya...I mean, I couldn't even get a point off you!' he complained.

'...for one thing, you underestimated me because I'm a freshman.' Ryoma drawled as a comical knife stabbed Kikumaru. 'And even toned down your game when you should have given it your best right at the start. You are a regular, no?'

'Well nya...' Kikumaru said sheepishly and Ryoma wondered about his kitty verbal tic. She sighed and took out a notepad, wrote something, tore it out and gave it to him.

'Here. If you do not want a miserable loss from me ever again, I suggest you do this. Then challenge me again. Ja na.' and Ryoma walked away, leaving Kikumaru dumbstruck.

'Uh...' and he looked at the paper Ryoma gave him, when the other regulars came up from behind.

'What's this?' Fuji wondered as he took a peek at the note. 'Hm? He got all this just by one match alone?'

'What's in it, Fuji-senpai?' Momoshiro asked Fuji who chuckled.

'He knew about Eiji's weakness...his stamina.' said Fuji. 'On the paper was numerous training tips for stamina and endurance improvement.' he said. 'Looks like with him around, things will get pretty interesting.' Meanwhile, Oishi had been thinking.

If even Fuji could not figure Ryoma out, he wondered for how long this will last. Ryoma despite being a girl, confirmed by Ryuuzaki, acted too manly even Fuji was convinced she, was a he.

He could not wait to see the looks on their faces when they find out...

xxx

On the way home...

Ryoma thought to herself, 'What a day!' because she had been gravely underestimated by a senpai. A mistake her opponents made many times when it came to facing her she wondered if life at the courts would get more interesting. On the way home however, she encountered a makai bug, which she squished immediately. "Makai bugs...a portal must be open somewhere." she mused as she began looking around, when by the time she reached the gates of her house, her father ran out of the house. 'Oyaji?'

'Ryoma!' Nanjiroh cried. 'Your mother's in trouble...she phoned just now...she and a client were dining in a restaurant when all of a sudden, robbers took the whole restaurant hostage!'

'What?'

'Anyway come with me...we'll try to get her out and you could do something I can't.'

xxx

Later, at the aforementioned restaurant...police surrounded the restaurant in question.

'Well shit...how to get in? I was thinking of the vents, but...' Nanjiroh choked. 'The restaurant's surrounded!'

'I can get in oyaji. Everyone's too focused on the restaurant to see a kid sneak in.' Ryoma proposed. 'And I'm wearing black. I won't be seen that easily.'

'Huh? But...' Nanjiroh sputtered. 'It's too dangerous!' Ryoma grinned.

'Hey, don't underestimate me pops. I'll prove to you I can do it!' Ryoma huffed. 'Besides, I can go in. You can't though. You're too big, too noticeable...'

'I get your point...but you're NOT going in there unarmed!' Nanjiroh grunted as he took out two mashers...and Ryoma took note that there's still bits of potatoes in said mashers... 'Your mom's gonna kick my ass for making you go in for this but hey, as we can see police are damn useless, nobody even thought of going and sneaking into the vents but us.' he grumbled.

'Well, just be ready for mom sentencing you to the couch after this.' Ryoma grinned as Nanjiroh became cracked white granite as Ryoma ran off and snuck into the crowd.

'Ryoma...' Nanjiroh whispered as his daughter vanished. He had no idea she was good and quick at sneaking around.

He had no idea just HOW.

xxx

"Let's see...I'll use my expertise as Kuronue to sneak around..." Ryoma thought in sheer glee as adrenaline rushed into her system and thrilled about what she was about to do. She searched for a room she could sneak into. She saw the restaurant her mother was in, scared stiff at being a hostage like the other customers and employees gathered there. She knew she should hurry and find the kitchens to find more arsenal. She can't just materialize sickles out of nowhere for crying out loud...and that was why, she hated CCTVs. Fuck them.

The cameras will record what she's about to do and no doubt it'll be on news...but she'll fix that. She cut the wires linking to the damn cameras before she can go out into the kitchens. She stole most kitchen knives. It was all she needed. She then created miniature versions of her scythes to destroy security wires linking to cameras and make them disappear after job's done. She headed for the main restaurant...and begun knife-flinging at shoulders and knees, causing the hostage-takers to cry in pain at the sudden stabbings on their joints.

'R-Ryoma-chan?' her mother squeaked as she saw her daughter who was responsible for the stabbings as Ryoma calmly strode over to the chaos and knocked each goon out with a well-placed chop at the back of the neck after a few smooth maneuvers in avoiding the men trying to grab her for payback.

'Yo, kaasan, oyaji wants to apologize in advance for not being in here since he can't fit in the vents like I could.' said Ryoma as she took out her phone. 'Oyaji! Tell the police it's OK to come in!'

'Ryoma-chan, one question...since when did you know knife-throwing?' Rinko asked her with a sweet smile but emitted dark aura. Ryoma gulped as she cowered before her mother as the police came in for arrest.

'Errr adrenaline rush?' Ryoma squeaked as she raised her hands in surrender. 'Hey, it's even on TV! People can do the crazy under stress!' Rinko put her hands on her hips. 'I swear!' Rinko stared at her child for a minute before relenting.

'I'll let it go this time sweetheart. Your father's here.' she said as Nanjiroh came in with the police.

'Rin~cha~n!' Nanjiroh wailed as he glomped his wife in comical tears. 'I'm glad Ryoma got to you on time!'

'The robbers can't really do anything anyway as if they fired, the police will rain bullets on them.' Rinko told her wailing husband calmly. 'So it's a siege on who breaks first.'

'But still!'

Everyone in the restaurant was taken to the police station for their statements regarding the robbery-cum-hostage taking and soon let go, and both Rinko and Nanjiroh managed to convince(i.e bribe) the Police to NOT let what their daughter had done get to the papers lest they want the wrath of the Takeuchi Group(they threatened when Ryoma was out of earshot).

xxx

Said restaurant was closed down for the poor employees to relax after having a near brush with death through the hostage-taking...and Koenma, Prince of Reikai used that opportunity to send Yusuke, his new detective and his assistant Botan to get a sample of youki detected in the area. When they got that sample, they left.

xxx

At another restaurant somewhere...

'Yare yare, that was quite a spectacle.' said Nanjiroh as they ate out in a chinese restaurant. 'I didn't know you could fling knives in adrenaline rush, hime-chan.'

'Jeez, give it a rest already.' Ryoma grumbled. 'Although I wanna learn for real.'

'No means no Ryoma-chan.' said her mother firmly. 'You're too young for such...such...uh things!' she piped up. 'Tennis is much safer in comparison!' she argued with a huff. 'You freaked me out back at the restaurant with that stunt and I'd rather it not happen again honey.'

'Sigh...yes yes...'

'Say it only once.'

'Yes...'

xxx

Reikai...

'Koenma-sama, we have a sample of the youki detected in the restaurant.' said Botan as she handed Koenma a vial containing a small swirling energy inside it. 'Yusuke and I had a hard time because it was so little we almost missed it. Yusuke's gone off to ask around about what happened in the restaurant since it temporarily closed down on the day youki was detected in there.'

'I see...I'll study this energy then.' said Koenma as he took the vial from Botan. 'In the meantime, assist Yusuke as there's only so much he can do as a human and a newbie while you who can become a spirit anytime can do what's convenient.' the miniature god told Botan.

'Hai. But about the identity of the youkai...what to do then?'

'We'll see once we determine it's identity. For now Yusuke will be needing you.'


	4. Identity Revealed

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Identity Revealed!<p>

Across Tokyo...

Yusuke was at a dead end. He could not find the customers who had been in that restaurant on the day of the incident and the police had been tight-lipped! 'Dammit, where's Botan when you need her?' he swore as he sat on a bench at the park all night.

'You called?' Botan asked him as she popped up, startling the hell out of Yusuke.

'Dammit Botan! Don't do that!' Yusuke gasped as he rubbed his chest to calm down his drum-beating heart. 'Anyhow, good timing, I need your help.' he said. 'I spent my whole day looking for the customers but since I don't know who they are, that's moot forcing me to ask around and that also became moot. Tried the police but they're tight-lipped about it. So you know what to do.' he said tiredly. "Dammit, if this is what being a tantei's like, I should've stayed dead!" he thought grumpily. He could have played Pachinko or something in his spare time...

'I know, snoop around as a ghost yes? Can do but I need to wait until everyone's asleep so I can sneak in the records. Can't do it while still awake you know.' she said. 'For now, take a break. You had a harrowing day. Leave the rest to me and I'll fill you in tomorrow.'

'Thanks man.' said Yusuke gratefully as he yawned. 'Man, my first assignment gave me hell!'

xxx

Reikai...

It took Koenma a couple hours to figure out who this youki belonged to. And he was in shock. 'No way...he died 500 years ago...' he croaked in disbelief as he looked at his computers as the image of a well-chiseled, handsome youkai with elfish ears and black feathery wings. 'Unless he faked his death...dammit, Yusuke's not yet ready for this level of opponent!' he swore as he looked at the restaurant incident...

xxx

The Police Station...

Botan materialized after the last officer locked up the records room. She opened the lights to browse through the files and look for the restaurant hostage-taking. It took her two hours to find it on recent records...

Apparently, the daughter of a wealthy heiress snuck into the vents, swiped a few knives from the kitchen and cut all CCTV wires to prevent any footage recordings...and the wires were WHERE they found the youki...which led her to wonder what on earth was the daughter with a gulp. The daughter flung the knives at the hostage takers and knocked them out cold. Apparently, the daughter and the father came to rescue their mother/wife. Since the father could not fit into the vents, the daughter had to go alone...and the police were threatened to keep their daughter's stunt quiet as they wanted their daughter out of publicity...lest they earn the wrath of a wealthy group. Apparently, the mother was a wealthy heiress and her daughter would soon have that title.

She took note of the name: Echizen Ryoma.

xxx

Reikai...

'Koenma-sama, I found the incident records.' said Botan. 'Apparently, it's been hushed-up because the one who cut off the wires...where we found the youki is the daughter of a wealthy heiress.' she said. 'How about that youki sample?'

'This is more than Yusuke can bite off.' Koenma told her miserably as he pressed a button on his computer. 'Look.' and when the image of a demon showed up, Botan squeaked in horror. 'He's an A-class demon, way beyond Yusuke's level right now. It's just asking him to get killed!'

'But what about the daughter? She was there when the youki appeared.' said Botan. 'I have a name...Echizen Ryoma. Her mother is the heiress to the Takeuchi Group and Ryoma will be the heiress soon as she's her daughter. We better ask if she's seen a demon. I mean, humans can see powerful demons unless it's an E class or a low D.'

'You do that.' said Koenma. 'We need to fix this and avoid Yusuke meeting this person. Or he's dead and I have to revive him again!' he grumbled. 'That was a lot of paperwork!'

A few hours later, three thieves broke in and stole the Shadow Sword, Orb of Baast and Mirror of Forlorn Hope...

xxx

Next day...

'OK, what are we doing here...in a school?' Yusuke asked Botan incredulously as they were in front of a school...

Seishun Gakuen.

'This is the school Echizen Ryoma attends.' said Botan as she warily looked around. 'I'll fill you in on what I found out. You know about the hostage-taking incident right?' Yusuke nodded. 'Apparently, Ryoma and her father got wind that her mother was one of the hostages so they went to the scene of the crime and tried to sneak in despite the surrounding police. The father can't fit in the vents so that left the daughter. According to the files in the police, she cut the CCTV wires to prevent footage records as she did NOT want her deed getting to be on the night's news...and where she cut the wires is where we found the youki...which is why we're going to ask her a few things.' said Botan. 'Right now, it's the Intra-Ranking Tournament so she can be a regular in her Tennis Club. Wanna watch?'

xxx

At the Tennis Club...

Ryoma found herself winning matches in minutes in the Intra-Ranking Tournament. The Non-Regulars were losing to her just like how flies drop after getting hit by bug spray.

'Boring...' Ryoma grumbled as she went back to the bench to tighten her shoelaces, 'Can I play with the Captain...?' she sighed as she looked up the skies. But she sensed two presences nearby, focusing on her. "Whoever these two are aren't subtle..." She got back up and went to Inui who was taking the scores. 'Vs Hayashi, 6-0.'

'That's pretty fast.' said Inui as he wrote the results on the whiteboard. 'It's only been five minutes.'

'My matches will stay short if the non-regulars don't step up their game.' Ryoma grumbled with a scowl. 'Anyway I'll be off for a bit. I'll be back in ten minutes.'

'Sure.' and Ryoma walked away. Once she was out of eyesight...she used her senses to home in on her two watchers, and went to walk to a place where she knew she wouldn't be seen...and she was being followed by them. By the time they got to the Pavillion...she smirked.

'You guys better show up or two heads will roll.' Ryoma threatened as she spiked her youki.

xxx

'T-this youki...' Yusuke gasped. 'It's the same thing we found back at the restaurant!'

'Oh no...you're not ready for this person yet Yusuke!' Botan choked. 'Koenma-sama determined who that youki belongs to...it belongs to the feared bandit, Kuronue! He's a very powerful demon...in comparison to a beach ball, you're just a pea!' then Ryoma vanished. 'She's gone!'

'Hoo?' the two got startled as Ryoma appeared behind them. 'Who's a beach ball and who's a pea?'

'Kuronue!' Botan squeaked. 'So you're the one at the restaurant...but why are you...well...a girl?' she sputtered. 'You died 500 years ago!'

'Wait, what?' Yusuke gasped incredulously. 'Botan you definitely left out a lot of things!' Ryoma raised an eyebrow at her two stalkers and crossed her arms in a huff.

"..." 'As for why I'm being a girl...it's because I reincarnated.' Ryoma drawled with a wry look on her face. 'Apparently, souls reincarnate every 500 years...I counted.' Botan and Yusuke stared at her at this. 'I remember the year I died...and when I woke up six years ago at age six, it's exactly 500 years. But only those with strong wills and minds can retain their memories of their past lives. Well yeah, I'm Kuronue the bandit so, what do you wanna do...huh?' she asked them with a wry smirk as she flared her youki at the two.

'Just to tell you, right now, I'm an ordinary middle schoolgirl. I don't want any trouble. But if you cause trouble for me, I will not hesitate to hunt you down and kill you, got it?' Ryoma threatened the two. 'As far as I'm concerned, you are a mere D-Class ghost, and a low-D human...can the both of you compare to my mid-C-Class self?' she asked them silkily.

'OK, NOW I want a thorough explanation...' Yusuke grumbled. 'What's with the C-Class and D-Class stuff anyway?' Ryoma laughed at this.

'THis is rich! I'm being stalked by two stalkers who're unprepared and know so little!' Ryoma choked as she burst out laughing. 'This is too funny! For now I'll spare you because I don't deal with idiots(Yusuke squawked indignantly at this) and that, I'm busy.' she said snidely. 'I have a Tennis thing going on so...' and she was gone.

'OK Botan! Explain!' Yusuke all but demanded.

xxx

Back at the courts...

'That was seven minutes.' said Inui as Ryoma looked sheepish. 'Oh well, you're in time for your eighth one.'

'Sankyuu...VS Nishitani, is it?' Inui nodded as she went with the non-regular onto the court and have another 5-min natch.

xxx

'OK, so E-Class is the weakest class, D-Class is where our strength is, C-Class is the average level and most common in demons and the class where Kuronue falls under right now, B-Class is stronger than her, two-times in A and ten times in S. The stronger a demon, the more human-looking they are. I think I got all that covered...' Yusuke muttered. 'So now we're dealing with a reincarnated demon in a human body. What now?'

'Koenma-sama sent me records about Echizen Ryoma...apparently, not only is she the Takeuchi Group heiress kept under wraps, she's also the only daughter of the world's famous AND undefeated, professional Tennis Player, Echizen 'samurai' Nanjiroh.' said Botan. 'Her father made her attend his old school to learn a few things she has to learn on her own so now here she is. Her celebrity status is only known in the West, not here so she could have a normal social life. And no records in Reikai that she's Kuronue so she's done a really good job in hiding her identity...' she mused thoughtfully.

'Tell me more about Kuronue. We need his history so we know what to do should his current self goes ax crazy on us if we approach her again.' Yusuke pointed out reasonably and Botan found herself agreeing with the Detective.

'You see...Kuronue is a dangerous bandit in his own right, but he mostly steals enchanted objects. However, if he finds that it's not worth his time, he returns it after he's outlived it's usefulness but to really useful items, he never returns.' Botan told Yusuke who had every right to look gobsmacked. 'He is never caught. He also partnered up with another bandit, Youko Kurama, another notorious thief who specializes in tweaking and destroying any form of security, and NEVER returns what he steals which greatly varies. They were together for about almost a millennia until Kuronue accidentally sprung a trap and got killed after being impaled in several places by bamboo spears.' Yusuke grimaced at this. 'He bled to death.'

'Ouch...what a lousy way to go.' he shuddered. 'We better wait for Kuronue here and watch.' he said as they kept an eye on the Tennis Tournaments...and each match the girl had lasted for only five minutes. Her opponents SUCKED. Yusuke found himself entertained somehow...until club ended.

xxx

'So it's VS Kaido-senpai, a Regular tomorrow...' Ryoma mused as she looked at the bulletin board as Inui made a copy of the records in a sketchpad. 'Then after Ikeda and Sawada it's Inui-senpai.'

'I take note that the regulars are the only people you refer to with honorifics.' Inui commented on the young freshman prodigy as his eyes glinted.

'Only noteworthy characters around here as far as I'm concerned.' Ryoma deadpanned snarkily as she made a beeline for the showers. Inui watched her go before looking rather amused.


	5. Unlikely Ally

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Unlikely Ally<p>

After a nice cold shower-Ryoma liked it cold after a sweaty workout, she got out of the locker room to be met by her captain. 'Echizen.'

'Nandesuka, buchou?' Ryoma asked him in her real voice.

'...Oishi and I decided now that everyone has full knowledge of your capabilities...or at least what they see as your full capabilities.' Ryoma snickered at that. 'Tomorrow, you can reveal your true identity to the club after we explain a few things, once the Intra-Rankings end.'

Ryoma burst out laughing.

'Hahaha! That'll be really hilarious!' Ryoma giggled as she got herself to sober up. 'This is gonna be fun!' Tezuka put his hands on his hips at this.

'Just not overdo it.' he told her sternly.

'Hai hai, papa-buchou.' Tezuka's glasses went white with a crack. 'What? I've been hearing about Oishi-senpai being Seigaku's Mama for worrying too much...and you got one hell of a power to keep everyone in line so shouldn't you naturally be 'papa'?'

Tezuka twitched.

'...anything but that, please.' he said tartly while shuddering at a few future mental pictures should Ryoma's 'pet name' for him spread. The horror!

'Hai hai, that's in private then.' Ryoma grinned good-naturedly. 'Let's have fun tomorrow!' Tezuka knew that somehow, he would have more gray hairs in the near future if Ryoma indeed, became a Regular. He followed her out back to the courts, as Ryoma met up with Momoshiro.

'Hey Echizen! You promised me a match remember?' Momoshiro told her. 'My ankle's healed now!'

'Hey! It's only been one day! I said two days, TWO!'

'But~!'

'No buts unless you make that ankle worse, ahou. It's still halfway done!' Ryoma scolded snarkily as Momoshiro pouted. 'I can see that in your half-assed games back at the courts to prevent putting weight on it.' Momoshiro cringed.

"He saw that?" he thought incredulously. 'OK, tomorrow then! Promise!'

'Yes yes...'

'Now now Momo, he's right.' said Inui. 'You played in the Intra-Ranking with a still-healing ankle. It's a miracle how you pulled off your usual game with an injury like that. Commendable as it may be but health comes first.'

'Hai, Inui-senpai.' Momoshiro deflated. Ryoma sighed and patted his back.

'Well, I never play with injured players out of sportsmanship.' she said as she snuck a glance at her captain. 'That could lead to many annoying consequences.' Momoshiro smiled weakly at this. 'I gotta go, it's my turn to cook.'

'Huh? You cook?' Momoshiro blurted.

'We take turns cooking everyday.' said Ryoma. 'Ja na!' and she ran off.

'Nya...chibi-chan is gonna be Oishi's Mama-successor if he keeps harping on Momo even though it's for a good reason.' Kikumaru commented in a thoughtful pose.

'And Tezuka...he knows you have an injury as well.' Fuji commented. 'He glanced at you when he talked about playing while injured.' Tezuka looked thoughtful at this. 'He's pretty sharp.'

'Hmmm...'

xxx

On the way home...

'Finally, got away from them...think they like me too much.' Ryoma chuckled. 'Not a bad thing but...I can't really get a private time for myself.' she mused as she stretched. 'Ah well.'

xxx

'Nani? Echizen Ryoma is the reincarnation of Kuronue?' Koenma screeched as Botan gave him the news. He then palmed his face. 'Of course, why didn't I see that possibility? Of course it happens but retaining one's past life and memories is a rare feat for powerful wills indeed...I think I should pay her a visit.'

'B-but Koenma-sama, he er she made it clear that she doesn't want any trouble.' said Botan weakly. 'And if we bother her, she'd kill us!' she squeaked fearfully.

'If I play my cards right, Yusuke can have a powerful ally. We need all cards we can get.' Koenma reasoned. 'And I can't leave a bandit alone, even if he returns what he steals!'

xxx

At Ryoma's house...

'Nanda, they're both out on a date.' Ryoma blinked as she found a note taped on their front door. 'I guess I'll be cooking for myself tonight.' she mused as she opened the fridge when she felt a presence behind her. 'What is it?'

'I am Koenma, Kuronue. I merely came here for a talk regarding your...case.' Koenma coughed as Ryoma turned to look at the Reikai Prince's toddler form before he became a young adult. 'Reincarnation.'

'Well yeah. I was six years old when I've been dreaming about Kuronue and Kurama's partnership years, but never before that.' Ryoma told him. 'Then after one horrible nightmare, Kuronue's signature sickles appeared on my bed. I then awakened my abilities as a Quest-Class youkai and began training since I was ten. Might I remind you that I'm having a severe identity crisis here?' she grunted in complaint. 'One moment I think like Kuronue and then I'm Ryoma. Care to explain how am I supposed to deal with this?' she said as she loudly closed the fridge door.

'It will be difficult as long as you separate two lives, Ryoma.' Koenma told her. 'You must accept both sides as yourself the more you use your powers. Otherwise both sides would gain too much individuality you might suffer from multiple personality disorder...and a bad case at that. When Botan told me you're a reincarnation, I had to come personally to nip this particular problem in the bud by telling you what to do about your past and present.'

'I see...then I have youki, not reiki. How will youki affect my human body?' Ryoma asked him as she began making tea. 'My soul is a youkai but my body is a human.' Koenma grimaced at this. 'I take it it's a bad thing?'

'Well...the more you grow in strength, the closer your human body will be converted to a youkai.' Koenma told her grimly as Ryoma stiffened. 'Should you reach Class A levels...your aging will begin to slow down. And when you reach Kuronue's old level in strength, I don't think I need to explain more.' he said. 'You're a Class C as it is, but I can offer you a way out in order to age normally despite your level of powers.' he offered her.

'Say it.' Ryoma demanded as Koenma knew he bagged this one.

'I will give you a special bracelet that only humans with reiki and of course, youkai can see.' said Koenma as he took out a white bracelet with a yin-yang stone but the colors are in blue and red. 'As long as you wear this, your youki will be converted into reiki everytime you use your powers. This will stop your youki from converting your human body into a youkai body. However, this has a warranty of five years and I want something in return, as I will be the one to supply you these filters. I know you met Botan and Yusuke yesterday...'

And Koenma told Ryoma about Yusuke. 'But as he is a beginner, he would need all help he can get.' Koenma sighed. 'I would like for you to assist him in cases he could not handle alone. I will personally contact you myself if such cases occur or I will send Botan if my hands are full.'

'Very well but I have a condition of my own too.' said Ryoma as she took the bracelet from him and wore it on her left wrist. 'Never, ever tell anyone that Kuronue has reincarnated.' she told Koenma seriously. 'I don't want any trouble coming to my human family just because of me. And I don't want Youko Kurama to know that Kuronue is back. Yes, we...oh shit, not again,' Ryoma swore as she palmed her face, and Koenma sighed.

'Just accept both your sides.' Koenma deadpanned.

'It's...really hard dammit.' Ryoma grunted as she shook her head. 'Where was I? Oh yeah, Kuronue and Kurama are close friends...brothers in anything but blood. He wept when I forced him to leave me to my death when I got caught in a particularly lethal trap. Kurama may still have strong feelings for Kuronue but I can never be him. I don't want him to use me as a replacement because I am his reincarnation.' she sighed. 'I don't have Kuronue's feelings for him, only his memories and powers. Tell that to your detective and Botan as well.'

'Very well.'

'Oh, and a threat...I won't do it of course, but it should cow them enough to comply.' Ryoma chuckled. 'If Botan accidentally speaks of my name in public, especially around demons, I'll kill her. If Yusuke does the same, I'll kill his family and friends and make their deaths loom over him because he can't keep his damn mouth shut. They are to ONLY call me Ryoma at work.'

xxx

Koenma, back at Reikai, thought about his meeting with Kuronue's reincarnation. She made it clear that she doesn't want trouble on her or her family and wants her true identity under wraps. Yes, he scored a powerful ally for Yusuke so for now, he can rest easy.

'All in a day's work.' he sighed with a blissful smile as he registered 'Echizen Ryoma' as one of his employees.


	6. First Case: The Three Thieves

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>First Case: The Three Thieves<p>

Across Tokyo...

Yusuke in particular, was very well-informed this time about his new partner, Ryoma, and what she'll do to his mother and Keiko(who was his only friend, by the way) if he couldn't keep his mouth shut about her true identity as she was also doing it to protect her family by keeping her identity under wraps.

He groaned. "Why do I have to put up with crap anyway?" he wondered as he left school...he met up with the devil herself. 'Ryoma.' and she was in a freaking girly-girl dress no one will ever think of suspecting her. Yeah, she's pretty but in his mind, she is a dangerous bitch who has a blade by his throat if he ever fucks up and spilled the beans.

'Yo.' Ryoma greeted. 'Since I'll be your partner at work, I came here to give something for you to do as I can't always be around to save your ass.' and she put a thick wad of money in his hand, and a notepad. Yusuke stared at Ryoma in shock at this. 'You, are to use that money for a gym membership for intense muscular training, self-defense workshops, proper diet, and instructions on how to train your powers on that notepad so every month, I'll supply you the funds needed. If I find out that you used that money on something else like Pachinko, I'll kill you, got it?' and she disappeared.

'Sonova...' Yusuke croaked as he counted the money...and that there's 500.000 yen here, which he pocketed and looked at the notepad that indeed, had ways to increase his reiki reserves and bump his class levels, and how to use reiki to augment his physical strength and speed...and train his telepathy in order to better sense danger.

At least he won't have to worry about his three-times-a-day Reigun if he pulls all this off...As for the money, he was ready to bet his life that she stole it from some businessman's wallet as the bills looked fresh and crisp...and not far from him, somebody cried, 'MY MONEY!' he sweatdropped.

"And I shall wisely scat." Yusuke thought wryly as he went home the long way. Ryoma apparently, stole his gym and food funds from the guy. At least he won't have to deal with instant ramen for dinner as his mother is too lazy to cook, and orders ramen takeouts from Keiko's family business. Irresponsible old hag...

Upon returning home...

Yusuke saw that his messy apartment space he was sharing with his mother was clean, and that numerous grocery bags were on the table and a recipe book on top of said bags. Apparently, she took care of this month's food...

'Ma, ikka!(Oh well)' he grinned as he set to help himself and try his luck in cooking. He'll say goodbye to Ramen for now.

xxx

Back at her house...

Ryoma had dinner after taking care of some errands for Yusuke, and set on watching TV, particularly tired after cleaning his apartment. Apparently, Yusuke's mother was very, very far from being 'ideal mother'. A drunk who always goes out drinking and partying...has QUESTIONABLE friends...and only goes home to sleep off her hangover, pay for Yusuke's schooling and have their family friend the Yukimuras send delivery ramen to their apartment, already paid. Yusuke himself grew up in neglect, hence, he became a thug, delinquent-of-the-year and that he's feared and hated by ALL schools in Tokyo. That's what she got from Koenma's records at least.

She sighed. She had her work cut out for her. Although that late at night, while she was fast asleep, her computer turned on BY ITSELF, and Koenma's face appeared. /Ryoma! Wake up! RYOMA!/ Ryoma grumbled and muttered profanity as she woke up.

'Whaihit?' she mumbled sleepily half-yawning as she faced her computer groggily.

/You and Yusuke have your first case. An hour ago, three demons broke into the vaults of Reikai and stole the three dark treasures...the Shadow Sword, Orb of Baast and the Mirror of Forlorn Hope. It's a pursue and retrieve case. Oh and I don't know how to explain this but.../ said Koenma sheepishly.

'Spill it out already.' Ryoma grumbled as she was by now, fully awake. Koenma looked at him gravely at this.

/...Kurama...is one of the thieves./ Ryoma stiffened at this as Koenma however, showed him a different image. Not the silver fox she expected but a typical middle school boy with red hair. /According to records in the self-updating Soul Library, he died fourteen years ago upon getting shot by a Reikai Hunter while he was in his youko form. His soul fled to Ningenkai and possessed the unborn fetus of a pregnant woman and fused with it's soul. So now he's back and in human body...with everything intact./

'I'll be damned...and he found new partners eh? This should be fun.' Ryoma chuckled while half of her self felt hurt and upset, but she figured Kuronue wasn't too happy that he was replaced already. She figured she should meet whoever his new partners were, as she wore her school uniform and went out, running at top speed and hopping over rooftops while looking for Yusuke's reiki...and sensed three foreign reiki.

They were in the forest so stayed far enough to avoid detection. She saw Kurama's two new partners, a small demon in a black cloak. He appeared almost human so his level must be pretty high...and the other still looks like a monster so he looks weak. And Yusuke the idiot needs to learn some form of subtlety it seems...the only good thing was, he made it out alive after a battle with the Kyukonki. After his defeat, she showed up.

'Ryoma you're damn late!' Yusuke complained. 'I nearly died back there!'

'Well, you made it.' Ryoma shrugged. 'My orders is to show up if I can see that you really need help. And you can use the experience.' she explained. 'I'll take you home and heal your injuries.' and she picked up the Orb of Baast, shoved it in Yusuke's pocket and proceeded to take him home.

'...you don't like the Orb huh?' Yusuke asked her with a grin as Ryoma gave him a wry look.

'And why, pray tell, would I want a soul-stealing Orb? I'm not even a Kyukonki so it's of no use to me!' Ryoma scoffed. 'I'll DIE if I use the Mirror of Forlorn Hope and the Shadow Sword only creates pests. I don't want them!'

xxx

Yusuke's Apartment...

'Owowowowow!' Yusuke wailed as Ryoma disinfected his injuries. 'Be gentle! You're a girl right?'

'Demo ore no kokoro no naka ni wa ore wa otoko da.' Ryoma told him coolly in perfect, masculine speech and tone of voice that creeped Yusuke out because masculine speech sounds weird in a girl. 'Dammit, if I'm gonna reincarnate, I wish it's a man's body!' she grumbled. 'Wounds disinfected, now I can heal you.'

'Wait, what?' Yusuke sputtered out as Ryoma's hands glowed with reiki. 'Reiki? But you're a youkai so shouldn't it be youki?' he asked her curiously as her powers healed his injuries.

'Youki is dangerous to my human body...in the most annoying and inconvenient way possible as I have a normal human life here.' Ryoma grumbled. 'Youki usage slows down my aging the more I use it as each use slowly converts my human body into a youkai body. Youkai live long...in my old life, I appeared human sixteen years but I'm three millennia old.' Yusuke's jaws dropped at this. 'The more powerful you are, the more human you appear as a youkai's diet is both human meat and what reiki they have in their souls and the slower your aging gets.' Ryoma explained and she saw it sinking on Yusuke's dawning facial expression. 'See why it's inconvenient? Koenma hired me to be your backer in exchange for this little trinket, the Energy Filter Bracelet. Everytime I use my youki, this bracelet draws on my humanity and converts my youki into reiki. Thing is, it has a warranty of five years due to the strain caused by the wearer's increasing strength.'

'If I used my youki to heal you, I would have ended up slowly converting you too.' Ryoma added.

'That makes sense...' Yusuke muttered as he eyed the way Ryoma healed him. 'And couldn't you have done this super healing from the start, instead of torturing me with Oxydol?' he whined.

'I have to eliminate infections, idiot.' Ryoma drawled with a bored expression on her face. 'That's a basic first aid. Even we youkai let ourselves bleed a bit in a bid to get rid of unwanted bacteria before using our youki to regenerate as there's no such thing as Oxydol and disinfectants in Makai. Only herbs to speed up healing.' she explained. 'Well, my job's done, I'm going home...I have school tomorrow.' and she went to the window, opened it and climbed her way out.

Moments later, Yusuke found out why. His mother's home.

xxx

Next day...

'Ryoma-chan you OK?' Rinko asked her daughter worriedly who looked sleepy. TOO sleepy when she came downstairs.

'...a nightmare kept me up at 2 up to now.' Ryoma lied but it was because Koenma disrupted her beauty sleep and chucked her on a job in the middle of the freaking night! 'Not too bad but...yawn...'

'I guess she'll drop on her bed as soon as she gets home Rin-chan...she can't attend the party.' Nanjiroh pointed out as Ryoma looked close to dozing off.

'What party?' Ryoma mumbled as she was on the verge of falling asleep again.

'Well sweetie, my client invited all of us to a party.' said Rinko. 'After school I was supposed to buy you a dress but...'

'Can't make it kaasan. We'll be late in the club due to Intra-Rankings.' said Ryoma. 'To determine who'll be our eight regulars. I'm already a shoo-in, but protocol is protocol...I have to defeat two Regulars.'

'Ooh! My daughter's moving up in ranks and it's just the first week!' Nanjiroh bawled. 'I'm so proud!'

'Enough with the waterworks already oyaji! Sheesh!' Ryoma grumbled. 'Kaasan, Black Coffee please!' "How kaasan married this man-child, I shall never know and I don't think I want to know!"

xxx

School...

'Echizen! A promise is a promise!' Momoshiro cried as he patted Ryoma's shoulders with both hands.

'Yes yes, how a man-child like you got into the Regulars I shall never know.' Ryoma told him snarkily with a smirk as Momoshiro gawked at him.

'Hey! I'm not a man-child!'

'You ACT like one!'

'Do not!'

'Do too!'

'Not!'

'Too!'

'Ok Ok that's enough, you're BOTH man-kids considering the way you argue!' Oishi interfered as he pushed the two apart. 'Anyway, you're both in different blocks so can't your personal affair wait until after school?' he groused out.

'Hai, Oishi-mama.' Oishi became a block of white cracked granite as this earned Oishi many wide-eyed stares.

'W-wha-wha-what...?' Oishi sputtered at what he was called just now.

'Oh nothing, nothing...Mama.' Fuji, Kikumaru and Momoshiro TRIED to stifle their snickering and everyone else let out a snort at best. Oishi twitched and shook.

'Echizen!' Oishi cried as he chased Ryoma around the courts, with Ryoma laughing at his expense.

'Chase me if you can Oishi-mama!'

'Yare yare, now that's THREE wayward kids, nah, Tezuka?' Inui chuckled as he shook his head. Tezuka just sighed.

'Alright, enough now Oishi! Ryoma!' Ryuuzaki hollered as she arrived to see the cat-and-mouse chase and clapped her hands loudly. 'Time to start this show on the road! Tournament commence!'

'Hai, Ryuuzaki-sensei!' the club chorused as one.

'Everyone to your respective courts!' Tezuka boomed as everyone scrambled to their courts to begin their game...and this time, two reporters came to see it as it was the last day of the Intra-Rankings. Inoue Mamoru and Shiba Saori.

'Sensei.' Inoue greeted Ryuuzaki. 'It's the last day yes?'

'Indeed...and we have a promising new talent this year.' Ryuuzaki told them. 'It's up to you to find said talent...you are reporters afterall.'


	7. Kurama's Desire

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Kurama's Desire<p>

After an impressive Intra-Rankings two days later came a shock...

'Everyone assemble! We have something to announce.' Ryuuzaki called out. 'I do hope that all of you have read both past and present rule books, correct? Including about...intergender clubs and tournaments?'

'Er we did...' Kikumaru croaked out. 'Why nya? Sensei?'

'Because this year, supported by the Tennis Association in order to start a propaganda of intergender cooperation in extracurricular activities,' Ryuuzaki told them. 'They want us to be the first school to promote a club with a girl in it. Starting with our very own Tennis Club. And she has been in our club since first day.' the boys gasped at this.

'I ask you to step forward and officially introduce yourself to the club...Echizen Ryoma!' Tezuka called out as many jaws dropped in the club.

'EHHHHHHH?' the whole club gasped as Ryoma stepped forward to be seen by the whole club.

'Echizen's a girl?' one Horio Satoshi gawked.

'Seeing as she is now a Regular, she can officially promote intergender cooperation with our help, seeing as we are a club of 39 boys and one girl but it's a start.' said Oishi. 'And we all saw her skills so no problems either.' he said.

'Ma, the cat's out of the bag now.' Ryoma spoke in her real voice...which was cute-sounding but she still spoke in masculine speech. 'But if you guys ever change the way you treat me just because I'm a girl, you're all gonna miss your be-damned family bits!' she threatened as she leaked killer intent that washed over the club. 'AM I CLEAR?' she hollered the last one in her 'manly voice'.

'Nyaaa! But chibi-chan what about the showers?' Kikumaru wailed. 'Did we share a shower a few days ago nya?' he cried as he wailed his arms wildly. Ryoma's jaws dropped at this with a furious blush on her face.

'Common sense, I went to the girls' shower room!'

Chaos and Hilarity ensued, when the whole club started asking questions...although their mileage may vary.

And needless to say, when Pro Tennis Monthly April Issue was released next week, all schools know by now that Seigaku has a female regular.

xxx

'Man, I'm in shock.' said Kikumaru as club ended that day. 'Chibi-hime-chan is a girl...come to think of it, a girl beat me Oishi!' he wailed on his best friend on the way home.

'Now now Eiji, she did give you tips how to improve.' Oishi chuckled. 'It's up to you to follow her advice.'

'Nyaa but come with me, it's lonely to do it alone!'

xxx

'Humm...' Fuji thought as he thought about the lone girl in the team, Ryoma. How on earth did she slip past his radar? He should have seen the clues right from the start, starting by the long hair...'he' never joined them in the showers...

Or was it because of a certain kansai boy that he dismissed it? Oshitari Yuushi was the only boy and person he knew who had really long hair for a boy...and he dismissed what's obvious because of it!

"I need to work on my observational skills more if I missed and dismissed things..." he thought with a chuckle. Then again, Ryoma made a very cute girl...

xxx

Jogging on the way home was one Kaidoh Kaoru. He wondered many times why he wasn't his usual tsundere self around her and could not bring himself to do so for some reason...now he knew why! Echizen Ryoma is a bloody girl!

A girl who defeated Kikumaru, him and Inui by the way...quite easily too, considering..._her background_.

Once the chaos died down, Tezuka had revealed ONLY to the Regulars in the Clubroom _whose daughter she is_, while Ryuuzaki threatened the two reporters to NEVER REVEAL this one truth to the Public, as her father wanted her to have a normal school life.

So...how to deal with this...?

xxx

At home...Inui did plenty of research on Samurai Nanjiroh...

xxx

Later that afternoon, at home...

Ryoma was in high spirits as she had fun at the whole club's expense, although at the same time, she was partially exasperated by the reactions. She decided that after dressing up, she'll visit Yusuke. It's her job to babysit him until he can pull his own weight afterall. She had gone across Tokyo to where his house was...

Not there.

School? Why on earth would he be there?

She used her senses to home in on him...and found him heading for the Hospital. 'Yo!' she greeted, startling the bejeezus out of him again.

'Ry-o-ma! Don't do that!' Yusuke yelled at the laughing thief in exasperation. 'You're gonna give me a heart attack!'

'Well, why're you heading for the hospital though?' Ryoma asked Yusuke. 'You're in one piece and last I checked, your mom's hanging out with the Kusunoda Yakuza Clan.'

'Oh, it's Kurama Ryoma.' said Yusuke. 'He said he'd meet me after two-three days...he barged into my house when he thinks mom is asleep and told me that.'

'What treasure does he have, Yusuke?' Ryoma asked him. 'We got the Orb of Baast, so next is the Mirror and the Sword.'

'Well, Kurama has the mirror...' Yusuke trailed off. 'What is it?'

'There are many tempting treasures in the Reikai Vaults, although all of them are worthless to me.' Ryoma deadpanned in a huff. 'Some of them give temporary pleasures, power increases, a new power...but those will only benefit low-class trash who wants a shortcut to strength when true strength is worked hard for the hard way. And I'm a proud youkai back then as shortcuts to power are disdainful, only used by the foolish and desperate. And one artifact I'll never get my hands on, is that Mirror of Forlorn Hope. It can only be used on a full moon. Yeah, it grants a wish...but at the price of your life.' Yusuke's jaws dropped at this. 'So in the end, you never got to enjoy what you wished for...and Kurama has it...oh fuck.' she swore in realization as she palmed her face as Yusuke sighed.

'Oh fuck indeed...' he swore as when they turned a corner, Kurama was there. 'Kurama!'

'...there is someone I would like you to meet.' Kurama told them, although his eyes fell on Ryoma. 'A friend of yours?'

'Partner in this job.' said Yusuke. 'She's Ryoma. Ryoma, Kurama.' he said while pulling off an introduction act and Ryoma decided two can play this game.

'Yoroshiku. But I believe we should get to the point of our objective.' she spoke using feminine speech that creeped Yusuke out inwardly as he was used to her masculinity but let it go.

'Yes. Follow me.' and the two followed Kurama to...a hospital. He then led them to the fifth floor, to room 502 with the nameplate written as 'Minamino-sama'. They went inside to see a weak-looking woman.

'Oh! It's rare to see that you bring friends over!' the woman chirped cheerily.

'You should just lie down kaasan.' Kurama gently scolded...his human mother...and both Yusuke and Ryoma were genuinely surprised by this indeed. But their eyes fell on an obvious feature...the rather brutal-looking scars on her hands up to her wrists.

'I'm feeling better though...' said Mrs. Minamino as Kurama sat down to reach an apple and a knife.

'Come now kaasan, I'll peel you some apples.' he said.

'Don't bother dear, I have no appetite.'

'If you're being like that, you'll never recover!'

xxx

On the rooftop...

'Minamino Shuichi is my human name in ningenkai.' Kurama told them. 'And that woman is my human mother. My human father died a couple years back.' he said. 'They've been taking care of me for 14 years...unaware of the truth. My true form is a Youko, specializing in disarming and disengaging wards and locks to steal treasures. But 14 years ago, I was pursued by a highly-skilled Hunter...and escaped to ningenkai in a spirit body and possessed her baby.'

'Being helpless and unable to do anything, I was forced to stay dormant and rely on them to survive. I decided that after ten years, I'll disappear forever...but...six years ago...she saved me without a second thought when I fell off a stool and about to fall on broken plate shards. They were the cause of the scars on her hands. Her smile...those scars kept hounding me. I couldn't leave her.' Kurama sighed. '...she won't last another month.' he said softly.

'As a youkai, it was unthinkable of me to have festered such emotions...' Ryoma blanched at this. '...but when she fell this terribly ill, it was then I realized that I truly loved and considered her as my mother.' he said as he took out the mirror. 'I'll return this mirror to you after I'm done with it.'

'You idiot! Do you know the price you have to pay for using that thing?' Ryoma yelled. 'Your life!'

'I know.' said Kurama in resignation. 'But it's worth it...and I have been lying to her for fourteen years.' he chuckled sadly. 'Her real son is dead...and her son's body is being used by a youkai. Well, she would be happier without me. She has a loving boyfriend who manages the business she works for. She'll be fine.' Ryoma seethed at this as she stormed towards him and slapped him good with extreme prejudice. 'W-wh...' Kurama sputtered as he held a hand to his stinging cheek.

'Wha...?' Yusuke croaked as his jaws dropped.

'You idiot! What right do you have to judge and decide for her?' Ryoma yelled. 'What makes you think she'll be happy without you? She already lost your human father, what and how do you think she'll feel if she lost her only son? You say you're guilty for lying to her for fourteen years, your willing death will cause another unforgivable sin! The sin of her grieving over your death just so she could live! She would live with such a knowledge for the rest of her life!' Kurama looked more than just slapped at the moment when she was done ranting.

'Your mother loved you enough to save you...she will do more than just grieve if she loses you too...so what if you lied to her? You're still her son.' Ryoma spoke in a gentle tone this time. 'And you said it yourself. You loved her.'

'Kurama, she's right.' said Yusuke. 'Trust me man, I died and my spirit floated around. I saw my mother cry because I'm dead until Koenma brought me back to life.' he chuckled. 'There has to be another way besides using that thing.'

'Been there, done that.' Kurama sighed. 'I tried secretly slipping her herbs...nothing worked. By the time she fell terribly ill, she was already at the critical stage. This mirror is all I have left. There's always Reincarnation if I die anyway. This is all I can do for her. Let me do this. Please.' he pleaded when a nurse barged in on the rooftop.

'Minamino-kun!' she cried. 'Your mother-!'

xxx

'She got worse all of a sudden!' the Doctor told them. 'She is in an unstable state right now...I've done my best.' he said sadly. 'Tonight will be critical.'

Ryoma, Yusuke and Kurama froze in horror at this as they all went to the rooftop as they waited for nightfall, and by seven, the full moon was at full view.

'This is it...' said Kurama as he placed the mirror on the concrete floor. 'It's now or never. Oh dark mirror, accept the moonlight and awaken! Reveal thy strength that will reflect my wish!' The mirror glowed to show his mother's smiling face.

**The happiness of this woman...is this your desire?** the mirror asked him.

'Yes!'

**Is this really your wish? For someone else's happiness?** The mirror sounded disbelieving at this point. Ryoma saw a chance in this.

"Maybe..." she thought as Kurama smiled. 'I've been lying to her for fourteen years...so consider this as my atonement.'

**Very well! I shall do as you say and grant you your wish.** and the mirror begun sucking Kurama's life force little by little...and rather painfully. 'Aaarrgh!'

'Kurama!' Yusuke and Ryoma cried as they shared a glance, and pitched in to 'donate' as well. 'Uwaaaah!'

'W-what do you think you guys are doing?' Kurama cried in alarm.

'Like I told you, seeing your mother cry over your death is the most terrible thing kids can do to their folks! Been there, done that!' Yusuke told him with a grin.

'So if we pitch in, no one has to die and your wish will still be fulfilled after the mirror takes enough life force equivalent to one life from three of us.' Ryoma grinned. 'It could work!' "Besides...you're still my best friend you hypocrite, if you really are Youko Kurama." she thought with a chuckle. "Unthinkable emotions my ass when you cried because I died..." she thought to her last memory of her last moments. "We're still best friends...right?" she thought with a smile.

Unbeknownst to all of them, one person saw their life-risking deed...

Yukimura Seiichi saw it all with a dumbstruck expression on his face. Soon, the zapping stopped and all three fell unconscious. Gulping, he quietly went to check on their pulses...weak, but still there. He glanced fearfully at the mirror with half a mind to throw it away, but the other half, he didn't want to touch lest he gets zapped.

He still has a lot to live for to die young. He left the three of them there and locked the rooftop door so nobody would see them there.


	8. Free Time Training

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Free Time Training<p>

They all woke up a couple minutes later. Kurama was long gone by the time Yusuke and Ryoma woke up. Turns out that the mirror grants wishes for free as long as they ask for a pure, unselfish wish.

'Two treasures down, one to go.' said Ryoma. 'The sword.'

'Yeah but thing is, where's the third one? We haven't seen the third mook yet.' said Yusuke.

'...ask Kurama. He'll know where the third one is.' said Ryoma. 'In the meantime, where's that woman? Shouldn't she be returning the treasures?' she asked him about Botan.

'Dunno, haven't seen her lately.' Yusuke shrugged.

'Whatever, I'm going home. Ja na!' and she left the rooftop, left the hospital in order to go home.

Inside the hospital somewhere...

Yukimura Seiichi had been thinking of what he saw back at the rooftop not long ago. Those two boys and that pretty girl who willingly let themselves be zapped by a mirror...and what's this about life and life force? He would never know but all he knew is that whatever they did COULD have killed them.

He was also greatly concerned for that pretty girl with them. She willingly gave up a portion of her life afterall. Why do something so...so crazy? For a friend he'd understand, but for a stranger was another whole thing.

xxx

Said girl sneezed while going home. Upon arrival, her parents left her a note regarding the party she could not go to as she was tired. Well, she still is. She gave up some of her reiki for nothing afterall! 'I'll get some sleep. This is some shit I'd rather sleep off.' and she went straight to bed, foregoing dinner.

Next day...

Hiei, the 'third mook' had used his Jagan to search out his enemy, Urameshi Yusuke and found out about Keiko. 'Hm, why don't I take this girl for some fun and also take the other two treasures?' he thought with a smirk as Yusuke...is forced to fight him alone this time, with Kurama's help until Botan called her over.

"Somehow," Ryoma thought as she put away her phone after club ended that day. "That guy is one hell of a trouble magnet!" she swore as she quickly headed for the abandoned warehouses by Tokonosu River, where she sensed reiki and youki spikes. Kurama, the third thief and Yusuke...then another but weaker reiki signature she assumed to be Botan. She perched onto the warehouse's windows to see Kurama injured by the stomach, and Yusuke dangerously low on reiki...again. He was also facing a green, hundred-eyed small demon too who severely outclassed him.

Why must she clean up his messes? 'Oy Yusuke...you're training...right?' Ryoma drawled after she knocked Hiei out with a well-placed punch with a speed only a proud A-class level of her caliber can muster despite Hiei's many eyes. He never sensed her coming until too late.

'How can I train with a job like this?' Yusuke grumbled. 'Well, I can after this job! I can train every after school then.'

'Ryoma...' Kurama croaked as the girl arrived...dressed in a boy's uniform.

'You guys whip up in shape if this shit is to never happen again.' Ryoma drawled as she proceeded to heal Kurama's stomach wound first, before healing Yusuke. 'I can't always save you every damn time! I'm a busy teenager!' she grunted.

'Yes yes, sheesh, one thinks you're on PMS or something...' Yusuke muttered as he felt a deadly glare on him...from the dark thief.

'What, was that?' Ryoma hissed dangerously as Yusuke meeped.

'Nothing, nothing!'

Kurama merely sniggered. NOW he's seriously intrigued by this girl who appears to be more powerful than they are right now.

xxx

Five days later...Pro Tennis Monthly April Issue has been released. Of course, any Tennis people would buy them to scope out the situation in other schools...but what caught their eye more, was the situation in Seigaku...their female Regular who was skilled enough to take down three Regulars on her First Week in order to become a member so needless to say, their training vamped up to the next levels...

And that's exactly what's happening in Seigaku right now. Secretly funded by the Echizen Family, unbeknownst to even Ryoma herself, Ryuuzaki has what she needed to train the Seigaku Regulars. Right now, they're in a Sports Complex, by the swimming pools...wearing heavy power wrists and ankles.

'Stamina Training Level 3...swimming.' Ryoma chuckled as she watched over the boys swimming in olympic-sized pools. 'I trained my stamina this way because of the physiological inconveniences caused by being a girl. It also helps that my house back at America is right next to a beach.' she told both the Regulars and Non-Regulars were swimming, while Ryuuzaki was supervising the Freshmen's laps at the track fields. 'If you guys can swim while wearing ten kg weights without running out of breath for two hours, you pass. Otherwise we'll be stuck here!' she laughed. 'Benefits of this training doesn't limit to just stamina and endurance...just trying to keep yourself afloat alone trains all the muscles around your body!'

'Next week, will be Muscular Training and next week after next week, Ball Control training!' Ryoma hollered. She was free from Training because she has been there, done that. After saying her piece however, she joined them in swimming. However, unlike their ten kg, she wore twenty in order to keep up with the boys' strength.

'Hey Tezuka, I've been wondering...how much are our current club funds to be able to afford this complex?' Inui wondered aloud as he was swimming next to Tezuka.

'I guess we never spend so much to the point that we're able to afford this place for a week before we knew it.' said Tezuka but he knew the truth. Ryoma's family were funding their training. But he'll never spill. Afterall, Ryoma's parents themselves hid from their daughter that they were filthy rich, in order to raise her properly and avoid getting her spoiled. Well, they did a good job, that's for sure. They all rested well on Sunday and out of weariness and exhaustion, they used that holiday to go to sleep.

After a week, was muscle training in the gym. Ryoma was secretly healing Tezuka's arm using her powers little by little whenever she childishly hugs his left arm out of teasing him on some occasions. In private of course. She was glad that no jobs so far just yet and the results of their training-from-hell showed in their Ball Control Training.

They got quite, the level-up. With drawbacks. They used too much power without knowing and realized it when their usual skills dropped a little, so they spent their time honing their Ball Control skills...and Inui had one hell of a Punishment even he himself takes...Inui Juice. The only one who was perfect was Tezuka, and Fuji slips a little every now and then.

'Oh boy...the typical drawback when they got a little bit stronger.' Ryuuzaki deadpanned to Ryoma. 'Will we be able to make it in time for the District Tournaments, I wonder...?'

'We'll make it, considering their drive in improving.' Ryoma chuckled as she glanced at the Regulars. 'I've been there, done that. They got too used to kiddie gloves, not actual high-level training like this, this isn't really surprising. When I was a kid I had the same problems they're dealing with now but it's all a part of growing up as Tennis Players.'

'Just how the hell did that person train you anyway?' Ryuuzaki chuckled as if the Sophomores and Seniors were dealing with Ball Control, the Freshmen were honing their stamina and endurance by running endless laps around the courts.

'Oh, swimming, muscle training but not-too-much or kaasan will kill him, ball control, and ball machines.' said Ryoma.

'Hmmm...maybe after the District Tournaments, we should do the Ball Machines. I know a place to rent some from.' Ryuuzaki told her. Ryoma raised an eyebrow and stared at the coach in disbelief.

'Do we even have enough club funds for that?'

'Oh yes we do...we just didn't know what to do with it.' said Ryuuzaki airily. 'Anyway, back to work with you, chat's over.'

'Yeesh...' and Ryoma went back to her station, wondering how on earth, did this Tennis Club get so wealthy while squeezing club funds out of club members...

If only she knew the truth.

xxx

Next week however...Ryoma checked on Yusuke. 'Yo.' she greeted as she checked on Yusuke. 'I hope that you're using this month of free time to train...right?' she asked him sweetly with a sweet, yet, dark, threatening smile.

'I'm doing it, I'm doing it! I hardly go to the damn school anyway!' Yusuke grunted.

'Then show me the Reiki basics!' Ryoma ordered as Yusuke rolled his eyes and performed in front of her. HE used his reiki to augment his strength and speed and when Ryoma threw miniature sickles at him blindfolded, was able to use his senses to dodge them all. 'Good good...now, show me how much bigger your Reiki reserves had gotten.'

'Yes yes...' and Yusuke flared out his reiki...and lasted fifteen minutes.

'Humm...not bad for a start.' Ryoma praised. 'But in an actual battle, you have to have enogh reiki to at least last thirty minutes which is a minimum requirement to survive in fights.' she told him. 'Before the old toddler sends us out on a next job, at least increase your reserves enough to last thirty minutes. That way, you can make at least six small reiguns or three big ones. Speaking of Reigun...I've seen how irredeemably slow it is, your enemy can simply walk aside to dodge it!' she grunted.

'Hey, isn't it supposed to be like Street Fighter's hadouken?' Yusuke sputtered out incredulously as Ryoma twitched.

'Games have real life mixed into it a bit, fool! Ryu performs hadouken but another character can do aerial jumps to dodge it! Moron!' and for emphasis, she hit his head after jumping high enough in order to do it. 'Watch!' and Ryoma gathered reiki enough in her finger to make a small reigun and blasted it to a tree...in Yusuke's eyes, it was fast! He barely saw it's trajectory and next thing he knew, there's a hole in the tree. 'I don't know who the hell taught you Reigun but he did it all wrong.'

In Reikai, Koenma sneezed as he watched their interaction.

'Reigun is based off a gun. Meaning, it's bullet should be fast, accurately aimed using it's trajectory points and aiming for a piercing attack, like what I did to that tree that now has a hole in it.' Ryoma explained as the two looked at the poor tree. 'NOT a freaking hadouken, OK?' she growled at Yusuke who meeped at her gaze. 'Now get practicing!' and she left him there.

'Jeez...' and Yusuke stalked off to do as told. She may appear younger than him but she was a three millennia old youkai who knew more about fighting than he did. And he's not nuts enough to turn down ancient advice.

xxx

Reikai...

'Humm...Kuronue's being a good mentor to Yusuke. So far so good. He's getting good training in preparation for a future job.' Koenma commented approvingly. 'And she's being a good influence on others too.'


	9. District Tournaments

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

A:N- Of course, Minagawa Junko voices Ryoma-chan's male voice, but when I heard her real voice in her concerts, I liked it a lot...

* * *

><p>The District Tournaments<p>

Three weeks later...was the District Tournaments. The highlight as the lone female Regular would be soon appearing...so Seigaku has a lot of attention when they arrived at the Tennis Park. Ryoma's shirt and jersey were sleeveless so everyone could see her skinny but toned arms.

'Sheesh, take a picture, it lasts longer.' Ryoma grumbled as earlier than that...

Yusuke was ordered to go to the Mountains to participate in Genkai's Succession Tournament in order to not only become her apprentice and heir, but also track down and capture the youkai Rando. He wasn't too happy and phoned his complaints to her while she was away from her team, under the pretense of going to buy a drink.

'Ma, don't complain about it. It's not everyday one gets taken in by a master.' Ryoma told him over the phone. 'What's more important, a dangerous demon getting his grubby hands on a powerful technique and kill as many humans or the Wrestling Match in Tokyo Dome, while deaths escalate everyday? Set your priorities right, brat.' she scolded with a grunt. 'Just good luck. If you did your training, this should go smoothly with little trouble...and I hope you did! Well, bye.' and she put her phone down. 'Troublesome kid...and Koenma had to pick a kid to clean up his mess.'

xxx

In Reikai...Koenma sneezed.

xxx

Back at the Courts,

'Seigaku's Regulars are here and assembled.' said Tezuka as he submitted the team line-ups to the commitee. The employee looked at the list and nodded.

'Everything's in order. Please proceed to court 1 for your first match, VS (insert school name).' and the Tennis Team headed for said courts.

'Well, this is your first debut as a Regular so you might want to make an entrance.' Inui advised Ryoma.

'Nah, I'll just end it quickly.' said Ryoma. 'I'll save my moves for people worth it. Any noteworthy people around here, senpai?'

'Well, there's Gyokurin and Kakinoki. They're pretty good.' said Inui. 'They're among the first seeders here.'

'Oh, sou ka.'

'We'll have to go through our first opponents to play with them though.' said Fuji with a chuckle. 'Let's see how this ends up.' needless to say...in their first three matches with three different schools with Ryoma always on Singles as she was lousy in Doubles...she ends her match quickly. She only serves...and never allows her opponent to score. Five minutes was enough. Serving and changing courts she practically much, destroyed any self confidence in her three opponents and reduced them to bleating sheeps.

Later...

'Everyone did well.' said Ryuuzaki as they hung out for lunch break by the fountains. 'Now then, our next opponent...wait, am I reading this right?' she wondered as they looked at the bulletin boards.

Kakinoki, their predicted next opponent, lost to Fudoumine.

'Fudoumine? That school that dropped out due to violence?' Kawamura piped up as Kikumaru shuddered.

'I never liked their coach.' Kikumaru grimaced. 'Too arrogant.'

'What happened?' Ryoma asked Inui as she tugged on his sleeve. 'I'm not here when that happened.'

'Well, apparently a couple freshmen and one sophomore assaulted their coach and regulars.' Inui told her. 'So they dropped out of competition. But for them to be back again and defeated Kakinoki...we mustn't underestimate them.' he said as he took out his green notebook. 'Apparently, the current team...new people, not the guys we're used to, is comprised of said freshmen and sophomore from last year...and they trounced Kakinoki badly. Very skilled indeed compared to the former regulars...' he trailed off as Ryoma had been tapping him for quite a while now... 'Hm?' Ryoma pointed at somewhere and when he looked up, it was a case of 'speak of the devil and he shall appear'. 'Ohya.'

'They're here.' Momoshiro smiled as the Fudoumine Team looked along the lines of being thugs. Their jersey styles didn't help matters in first impressions but Ryoma could sense that they were good people.

'You're Tezuka, right?' the buzz-cut boy asked Tezuka who nodded. 'I'm Fudoumine's player-coach Tachibana. 'I hope we meet and have a good match.'

They stared each other and good-naturedly shook hands. Tachibana then glanced at their lone female player and glanced at Tezuka who nodded after a meaningful stare. Tachibana then led his team away.

'Looks like things will be interesting.' Fuji chuckled as Ryoma latched on Tezuka's arm with her right hand. The team thought it was for security. Afterall, no matter how manly she acts, being with many boys is another story entirely for the lone girl. If only they knew the truth that she was slowly healing his injury. Apparently, Ryuuzaki told her that a jealous senpai whacked his arm with a racket that caused a lifelong injury only expert medical help can cure, but it was beyond Tezuka's family's income so Tezuka had to live with it for the rest of his life.

So Ryoma secretly pitches in. Tezuka will be in one heck of a shock when he finds that he could play normally soon.

'Listen up everyone! As we can see, Fudoumine's a strong team so be at your very best!' Ryuuzaki cried. 'Doubles 2: Fuji and Kawamura! Doubles 1: Kikumaru and Oishi! Singles 3: Kaidoh! Singles 2: Ryoma! Singles 1 Tezuka!'

'Oh, one piece of advice...' said Inui. 'Everyone, take off your power wrists and ankles. Sensei DID say to play at our best, didn't she?'

And so...the finals commenced. And Seigaku was astonished that Fudoumine's level increased...but they weren't the only ones who had a level up. Seigaku did as well...although a certain move caused Kawamura and Fuji to forfeit.

Doubles 1 relied more on Kikumaru's acrobatics. Singles 3 went to Kaidoh's tenacity even in the slippery floors...

'This is it.' said Tachibana as Ryoma came to the courts.

'...my opponent is a girl? This sucks...' Ibu mumbled.

'But she defeated three of their regulars and there's no way Tezuka of all people will lie about this.' said Tachibana as he shook his head. 'Be careful Shinji.'

'Usu.' and they faced each other in the courts.

'Which?' Ryoma asked him in her manly voice. Shinji raised an eyebrow at this.

'...is that your real voice?' he asked her.

'No, but this is.' said Ryoma as she spoke in her real voice which startled those who heard. 'But I prefer my manly side.' her manly voice was back which creeped Ibu, some Fudoumine members and a few audience spectators. 'What can I say, I'm a man at heart. Now which?'

'...she can say that so easily...' said Kamio with a sweatdrop.

'I prefer her real voice though, it's cute.' Kikumaru complained.

'No, preferences aside, she wants to be taken seriously.' said Fuji. 'Hence her boyish voice, speech and act to be like, 'one of the guys'.'

'Yeah but her real voice sounds cute.' Momoshiro agreed while going schweet. On the other hand, it was Ryoma who would serve first and she showed half her strength on her first serve.

'Well? Referee, the call!' Ryoma called out with a mischievous grin.

'E-er right...' the referee sputtered. '15-0!'

'This is it...' said Tachibana as he narrowed his eyes. 'We'll see how good she is if she could defeat three Regulars but who were these Regulars though...?' he wondered as he glanced at the opposing team as the two began playing seriously. "Tezuka and Fuji are out of the question, considering their reputation..." he thought. "So it could only be three of the remaining six."

'...Echizen...she's playing it half.' Momoshiro whispered to Kaidoh who nodded. 'That wasn't her level when she trounced us!'

'She's taking it easy on him. Analyzing him.' said Kaidoh. He fell prey when she used his strategy against him...five minutes into their match when she figured his game out.

Later...Ibu was forced to use his trump card...his Spot technique. At first, Ryoma could not figure out why her arms are going numb...but she kept on playing until her racket slipped out of her numbed right hand, smashed against the metal frame with her racket ending up in pieces, with the sharp handle with sharp, pointy edges flinging back at her and everyone realized what was going to happen in horror if she doesn't get away on time.

'Echizen!' Oishi cried as they watched in horror for the worst...

She caught it in time with her left hand, perfectly in the handle with the point 1 cm away from her eyeball. And she moved truly fast. Truly expected of a youkai of her caliber. 'Hyaah...abunai abunai!' she chuckled sheepishly as everyone let out a sigh of relief.

'Mou hime-chan! Don't scare us like that!' Kikumaru wailed, 'We thought...we thought...!' he sniffled.

'Good thing she caught that one. She's got good reflexes...' Ryuuzaki sighed in relief. 'That person will cause mayhem if anything happens...'

'...he has every right to.' Oishi squeaked weakly.

'She caught that so easily...amazing!' Tachibana croaked, thoroughly impressed. 'But good thing too...this almost got bloody!' he sighed in relief as Ryoma went back to get a spare racket.

'Now where were we?' Ryoma grinned as she twirled her racket like a baton. 'Nice trick you got there...certain spins could numb your opponent's hands. But...however neat that is, it has a few weaknesses...'

'This is it...' Inui commented. 'She's seen his weak points.' they were waiting for this.

'For one...can you do it with an ambidextrous player?' she asked him innocently as she put her racket on her left hand, and hit twice as hard. Ibu tried to rally with another attempt at Spot but the ball had no spin! 'Or use it using a sinker ball?'

'Crap!' Ibu swore. She was right...his technique won't work if his opponent is ambidextrous or hits sinkers! And Spot requires topspins and slices! And she hits twice as hard on her left hand...she had a tendency of knocking his racket off his hand. And she won 6-4. Seigaku won three matches.

xxx

After the formalities and closing ceremony were over, everyone was about to go home, when a pretty redhead waited by the park entrance. 'Hey there, Ryoma. Nice match.' he greeted as Ryoma grinned.

'Who is that guy?' Kikumaru asked Fuji.

'Saa...but what a pretty person.'

'He's on yobisute with her so they must be pretty close. Ii data...' Inui commented as he took note of it.

'Thanks. You must've skipped school just to watch.' Ryoma smiled. 'Shuichi. What's up?'

'Oh, I came to pick you up.' said Kurama as the regulars STARED, and Ryuuzaki blinked. 'Wanna come after a shower?'

'Sure.' and Ryoma ran off, and Kurama found himself severely questioned by the more outspoken members of the club.

'Nyaa! You Hime-chan's boyfriend?' Kikumaru wailed.

'So young...youth these days!' Momoshiro commented with a grin.

'How did you two meet? Both of you are in different schools so spending time together must be really hard...' Oishi, Seigaku's mama kicked in and poor Kurama's mind was SPINNING.

'U-uhhhh you got it all wrong!' Kurama sputtered. 'We're not a couple!' "How'd it get to this?" he thought in disbelief with a sweatdrop. He came here for a chat regarding 'business' and here are the 'big brother brigade'...

'You're not?' Kawamura blinked.

'Ryoma and I are chat buddies.' Kurama lied with a convincing act. 'We met online in a chatroom back when she still lived in America and we both decided to meet here for the first time. She said I should come when her team wins the Districts.'

'Ohhhhh...'

'Alright you lot! Go to the showers!' Ryuuzaki ordered her brood who followed to hit the showers. 'Ohoho...this would be quite entertaining in the future.' she chuckled. '...your name, boy?'

'I'm Minamino Shuichi, freshman in Meiou High School.' Kurama introduced himself. 'Still 14.' he said with his charming smile.

'Ma, if you'll court Ryoma...you got to through a lot of powerful people.' Ryuuzaki chuckled. 'They're fiercely protective of her.' Kurama sweatdropped.

'Like I said it's not like that...'


	10. Second Assist Job: Youkai City

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Second Assist Job: Youkai City<p>

'Wahahahaha! They seriously mistook you for my boyfriend?' Ryoma laughed in her real voice as she walked home with Kurama in her school uniform. 'That's filthy rich! Anyhow, why'd you come though?' she asked him. 'Business?'

'Er no, I lied to your team...but I came here for a personal matter.' said Kurama. 'I tried finding you but you've done a good job on masking your powers. I found out through reading a classmate's Pro Tennis Monthly that your school's in Seishun Gakuen as it's lone female regular in a club of boys...'

'I manage I manage. I'm well-respected because of my skills...well, considering who my father is, I might just surpass him one day.' Ryoma smirked. 'Well enough about me, you came here for yourself.' she said as they stopped by a park to sit on a bench.

'Yeah...I never got to thank you or Yusuke.' said Kurama. 'And what you told me made sense...I'll just cause her worser grief than lying to mother. But...how come we didn't die? That's one thing I never figured out. The mirror takes the lives of those who ask for their wishes granted.'

'Oh that? The mirror spoke when we woke up. You were long gone by then.' Ryoma told him. 'The mirror said that it never takes the lives of those with pure, unselfish wishes and that you're willing to die for such a wish. It said that if its owners were more like you, it wouldn't have such an evil reputation.' she said with a smile. 'It even scolded me and Yusuke for being reckless.' Kurama stared before chuckling.

'Sou ka...it's because I used my wish for mother's sake. I got really lucky.' Kurama chuckled.

'By the way, what about that third thief? We arrested him live didn't we?' Ryoma asked him curiously. 'Never knew what happened because I have to quickly rush home.'

'Well...since the thieving was mostly my effort, and Hiei barely caused trouble...and Gouki's useless and dead. So the punishment mostly fell on me when I willingly turned myself in. Although I came off light because I used the mirror for good. Just that I am to never step foot in Makai as long as my human family is still alive, unless it's a job for Reikai. As for Hiei, he caused harm to ten humans by almost demonizing and controlling them...he'll be in prison for a hundred years. He's not too happy with me right now. Well...I betrayed him afterall.'

'So you're on probation and he ain't.'

'Pretty much it.'

'At least you're better off somehow. You won't see Yusuke for a while though. He's gone off to become Genkai's heir. Heard of her?'

'I did about thirty years before I died. She is a famous reiki master and quite the beauty.' Kurama told her. 'Now she's a wrinkled old lady. He'll be pretty good once she's through with him.'

'Yeah. Then maybe he can pull his own weight without us having to bail his ass out all the time.' Ryoma sighed. 'Our schedules are fully booked and we got clubs...and my father stays at home while my mom wore the pants, so I can't disappear THAT often to help him you know?'

'That's true...my mother's boyfriend is hanging around a lot too.' Kurama sighed.

'You OK with this? You got competition.' Ryoma pointed out. Kurama nodded.

'Well, Hatenaka-san clearly cares for her and they get along well.' said Kurama. 'I'll see how this goes...but if he ever makes her cry, I can simply make him disappear and make mother forget him.' he said as Ryoma sweatdropped of his ruthlessness despite being used to it. 'Then again there's my wish...her eternal happiness.'

xxx

After meeting up with Kurama...business resumed as usual for two weeks...with training focusing on ball machines for two weeks for Regulars only in the Sports Complex...too bad for scouts who came to Seigaku for nothing.

By the end of two weeks, however...Ryoma was on shopping duty with Fuji and Momoshiro. They were on the way back to school when a gang of delinquents staggered out of the alley near the sports shop...in their school uniforms too.

'Uhhh they don't look like they're in high school...' Momoshiro croaked.

'Quiet, we don't want trouble.' Fuji hissed as the delinquents looked at them and there's obviously something VERY WRONG with these guys...their eyes were either almost rolled backwards or too dilated with teeth bared and drooling...

'Kill...kill...kikikikilll...' they all droned as they took out switchblades at a zombie-like pace.

'Crap! Those are REAL knives they got there!' Ryoma gawked. 'Too much drugs addled their brains!'

'KILLLL YOOOOOUUUU!' they cried as Fuji, Ryoma and Momoshiro ran for it.

Well...against students with knives and drug-addled brains...they can do nothing but run like hell.

'WAAAAAAHHHHH!'

'Where to go, Fuji-senpai?' Momoshiro cried frantically to the only senior in their group.

'To the Police Station! They're armed and we're not!' Fuji cried as they had to put up with being chased to the Police Station until they arrived there.

'SOMEBODY HELP!' Momoshiro wailed at the receptionist's desk. 'DRUGGIE HIGH SCHOOLERS WANTS TO KILL US!'

'C-come again?' the police lady asked them incredulously.

'Haa...h-high school delinquents...' Ryoma choked out. 'Too much drugs maybe but their eyes are weird and they're drooling...took out switchblades and next thing we know they wanna kill us!'

'We can't go back to school like this...they're armed and we're not!' Fuji cried when the high schoolers came by the police. 'And they're here!' they barged in with their knives.

'KILLLL YOOOOUUU!'

'Waaaahhhh!' Ryoma cried in her real voice, causing Fuji and Momoshiro to be human shields while causing nearby police officers to take action and knock the wind out of them with well-placed aikido and confiscated the blades.

'You're under arrest for being under influence and possession of dangerous weapons!' one officer cried as they hauled the high schoolers away.

'Somebody get their IDs and phone their parents!'

'Er we need your statement kids.' said one officer as he stopped by the Seigaku Regulars. 'How and when and where did it happen?'

xxx

Seigaku...

'Hello, Ishikawa-kouchou? Eh? WHAT?' Ryuuzaki yelped in horror as all eyes fell on her. 'Yes...yes...I'll go get them. I have a car. Yes...bye.'

'Sensei, what happened?' Oishi asked her while ball machine practice was disrupted that day.

'Fuji, Ryoma and Momoshiro are at the Police Station...'

'EHHHH?' the whole club gasped as Ryuuzaki continued, '...because they refused to leave in fear that they might be chased by armed hooligans again and I have to pick them up.' Ryuuzaki explained. 'Apparently, when they left the shop, they encountered high school delinquents under influence, took out switchblades and things went downhill and they ran for the nearest station for help. I'll go pick them up. Tezuka, take charge!'

'Hai! Everyone back to practice!' Tezuka boomed. 'They're alright so they'll be fine!'

Although even he had to admit it, even he wasn't in the mood to practice anymore, not after his three teammates got a close call...so he'll let everyone off for now.

xxx

'You kids really OK?' Ryuuzaki asked the three Regulars who looked worse off than when they left school.

'Well...somewhat.' said Fuji with a sigh. 'That was scary...'

'I never dreamed I'll be chased by druggies either!' Momoshiro shivered. 'Do we look like one of them because of our hairstyles and then picked a fight with us?'

'No idea, even boys grow their hair long, thug or not! Isn't that in Japanese History?' Ryoma grumbled with a scowl.

'Anyhow, I'll take you kids home and your school stuff put in your club lockers. This is one hell of an experience.' and so, Ryoma's house was the nearest, then Momoshiro who was ten houses away, and Fuji who lived outside the residential wards.

Even the coach sent them home because practice mood, was ruined.

xxx

By sundown...Ryoma was glad that her parents weren't home when this happened but they'll probably hear from Ryuuzaki for sure...she groaned. 'Sigh...if I wasn't hiding, I could've dealt with them by myself...'

'Ryoma!' Botan called out as she popped by her house. 'You got a job with Yusuke.' she said. 'Youkai City from Makai requested the right to move into Ningenkai but naturally, we refused...so in retaliation, they released thousands of makaichuu in Ningenkai who in turn, possessed humans with evil hearts and distort them. So you'll be going to Makai with Yusuke.'

'Oy oy, won't my conversion speed up the more I inhale Makai air?' Ryoma asked Botan warily, and she took out a feminine-looking, white breathing mask.

'Here!' she said as she put the mask on Ryoma. 'You'll be safe as long as you have it on. Come on, let's go!' and Ryoma hopped on Botan's oar and they flew away. Botan took her to another portal where Kurama and Hiei waited.

'Ohya? Hired on a job?' Ryoma greeted the two demons as Kurama tossed her a cloak.

'Pretty much because this is too high-level a job right now.' said Kurama with a chuckle.

'Oy Kurama, she won't be a deadweight, right?' Hiei grunted to the taller redhead.

'Hmph, you'll see what I can do later but for now, work ethics come first!' Ryoma huffed as she put on her cloak. 'Let's go!' and they jumped into the portal. Ryoma sneakily took off her bracelet for this one instance and pocketed it.

'Let's hide among these cloaked people for now.' Kurama suggested. 'Yusuke's not here yet.' he said as they blended in among the background and waited. Twenty minutes later, Yusuke and one other came as well...and got surrounded...

'Yare yare, this is becoming a bad habit.' Ryoma sighed. 'I taught him on how to improve his skills but I guess I should've taught him tactics too...'

'We bust him out?' Hiei scoffed. 'Figures.' and they went for a slaughter en masse. 'If you screw around like this, you'll never have a chance of entering the city at all!' Yusuke and Kuwabara saw three figures, one of whom possessing a silver scythe hack through the demons.

'It must be tough having only two in the team.' said Kurama as they took off their cloaks. 'Let us help you.'

'Kurama! Hiei! Ryoma!' Yusuke exclaimed. 'How did you...?'

'We're reinforcements, idiot.' Ryoma told him tartly. 'Didn't Botan tell you that this is a high-level job?'

'Er I never had the chance to hear that.' said Yusuke as he threw a wry look at Kuwabara. 'This idiot jumped in into the portal before we got complete details!' he grumbled.

'Hey, ningenkai's in danger you know!' Kuwabara cried in his defense. 'The longer we take the worse it gets.'

'That may be true but information is vital for everything. Without information, you'll venture into the unknown knowing nothing and knowing nothing at jobs like this will get us killed.' Ryoma told him coolly. 'Your bravery and recklessness is both commendable and deplorable as you never thought of the consequences of your actions.' Kuwabara looked properly chastised at that.

'By the way Ryoma, what's with the mask?' Yusuke asked Ryoma curiously.

'Oh this? Well, you know my condition. I can't inhale makai air as it'll be dangerous for me.' Yusuke grimaced at that as they walked towards Youkai City. Ryoma, is the reincarnation of Kuronue. And her soul generates youki not reiki so exposure to anything makai-related will convert her human body faster into youkai body.


	11. Attack Commence! Detectives VS the Shise

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Attack Commence! Detectives VS the Shiseijuu!<p>

Hiei was intrigued.

Ryoma has stated that she cannot inhale Makai Air due to a condition she possessed...and the detective had a rather squeamish reaction. He wondered what the condition is, but at least, she was reliable and skilled. She took out twenty mooks with just one swing of her huge weapon with great ease and control.

But what got him intrigued...is that why would she, a human with some power be severely affected by makai air whereas Yusuke and his deadweight weren't?

'By the way Ryoma.' Yusuke said with a grin as he turned toward his first mentor. 'You told me you're a man at heart so why are you wearing a dress?' he asked with wiggling eyebrows. Well...Ryoma IS wearing a floral dress with iris prints. Kuwabara was about to mouth Yusuke off for being rude to a girl, until...

'...my mother put her foot down and did a 180 on my proud, manly wardrobe and took my credit cards hostage.' Ryoma drawled.

'You have credit cards?' Yusuke crowed. 'I thought you steal money for funds!' he crowed as he remembered the fact that Ryoma stole the money she provided for him for his training and food.

'I do. I'm pretty wealthy in my own right from all those Tennis Tournaments you know...I only steal for fun and so I won't rust.' Ryoma shrugged. Hiei and Kurama took interest in this. She is a thief?

'You mean you're a thief?' well, it was lampshaded by Kuwabara's disbelief.

'Yeah but I'm limited to what I can get in Ningenkai though but it'll be fun stealing fun and dangerous things...'

xxx

Inside the darkness of the castle...

'Enemies? Who dares oppose the Shiseijuu?' growled a deep voice in the darkness.

'Reikai has objected our request and want to do it the hard way.' came a cool, steely voice.

'It's been a long while since we had guests.' the deep voice commented.

'Humph! They're not worth our special attention!' a deeper growl-like voice scoffed.

'What is your opinion, Lord Suzaku?' the cold steely voice spoke in question.

'Byakko is right, they're not worth our time.' came Suzaku's rich baritone. 'They will not even be able to get inside the city with a messy team like that. They won't even make it past the Door or Betrayal.'

xxx

By the entrance, they were greeted by a flying eyeball. 'Welcome to youkai city. The one who wishes to enter first must be tested by the Door of Betrayal.' there was a deep rumble.

'The ceiling is collapsing!' Yusuke cried as they all caught the ceiling.

'This door is very sensitive.' said the eye with a nasty smile. 'Though it's got a bad personality it can be very clever. It is able to sense the strength of the people supporting it and then release the greatest pressure.'

'Erps! Darn it!' Yusuke swore.

'If one betrays the rest and escapes, everyone else would be crushed. If everyone stays loyal down to the bitter end, weariness would catch up and everyone will still be crushed.' the eye chuckled. 'Only betrayers have the right to enter the city. You have to make the choice yourselves.'

'Heee...so that's how it is?' Ryoma drawled as she was outside(much to their surprise)...while due to distance, the boys were unfortunate enough to be ahead of her and inside while she was at the very back and safely stayed outside. 'Hey you guys! Who's the fastest among you? I'm right outside and quite capable of doing something...but from the looks of things, the door is 500 feet high. I can't play jenga forever so someone fast enough should deactivate the switch after I destroy the wall on you! The rest cover your heads!' and she materialized her weapon, a scythe many times her height and size.

Kuronue may favor throwing chained sickles alone but Ryoma is different. She favored ALL SORTS of sharp implements she could materialize with her power as a Quest-Class and began hacking the walls and Hiei, who was fast enough, got to the switch as Kuwabara, Yusuke and Kurama covered their heads with their hands, protecting it from the heavy, broken pieces of the 'door'.

'...it's fortunate that you were outside.' Kurama sighed in relief.

'Well, I'm in no rush like you guys...I was busy enjoying the scenery and next thing I know, you're under the ceiling.'

xxx

'They've passed the Door of Betrayal...rather, destroyed it!' Seiryu exclaimed.

'Then let me, Genbu polish them off!' Genbu offered. 'I shall bring their five corpses immediately.'

xxx

'Fun place...this is like a living RPG.' Yusuke commented. 'And by rule of nature, the bosses are on the top floor. By the way Kurama, what kind of people are these saint goons anyway? You must be well-informed.'

'It's obvious that they're dangerous as Reikai sealed them in.' said Kurama. 'They can give you a fright if you're unprepared.'

'Why thank you for the introduction.' Genbu laughed as his voice can clearly be heard beyond the gate. When they entered, they saw a huge, rocky demon and Ryoma was a tad amused at Yusuke and Kuwabara's expressions.

"Heh, they got a long way to go...appearance isn't everything in the demon world...only signs." Ryoma thought with an inward chuckle.

'Let me, Genbu-sama pamper you...' said Genbu as he struck the ground with his tail. 'There's only one stairway out of here. Now either you defeat me or become a sea of corpses...attack together and save me the trouble.' he said arrogantly.

'H-how do we defeat that thing?' Kuwabara squeaked.

'Allow me.' Kurama offered. 'It's dangerous to strike without prior knowledge.'

'Kurama? But we should attack him together!' Yusuke insisted.

'No. Well, I can't just let Ryoma showcase her prowess. I should show off too.' Kurama chuckled as Ryoma grunted a 'Shut up.'

'But that's too dangerous! We may as well find a way to sneak upstairs...' Yusuke sputtered as Hiei chose that moment to butt in.

'That's because you don't understand Kurama's true abilities.' Hiei drawled condescendingly. 'Let me tell you why I allied with him...it's because I didn't want him as my enemy. And in facing an opponent who wishes to harm himself, his composure wins over mine hands down.'

"Well said." Ryoma thought. In her memories, her old self allied with Kurama for his prowess, power and brains. It was a mutual-profit relationship at first...until they grew to, and became best friends. "It seems Hiei understood very well."

(See manga for the fight)

'You OK?' Yusuke asked Kurama who swooned from blood loss.

"To have injured Kurama...he's pretty impressive." Hiei thought darkly as Ryoma walked towards him.

'Lie down.' she instructed the redhead as Kurama did so, and she healed his injuries. Yusuke, Hiei and Kuwabara watched, impressed. 'There you go.'

'Thanks a lot Ryoma.'

'Heh, whatever. Well, the next beast is mine!' Ryoma chirped. 'I wanna fight too!' she said eagerly as she clapped her hands in excitement.

'You mean you're fighting?' Kuwabara asked her in disbelief.

'Duh...what else am I here for idiot?' Ryoma snarked. 'We're only here to support Yusuke. We handle the trash, he deals with the boss. Simple!' then they all got startled with a loud roar. 'Whoa!'

'By the looks of things...Byakko isn't too happy.' Kurama commented.

'And according to Ningenkai Mythology, Byakko's a tiger...so this Byakko must be a tora-youkai just to match the theme.' Ryoma shrugged. 'He's mine!' and they went upstairs only to find that they came out of a tower with a linked bridge towards a platform, and another bridge leading to the next stage, blocked by Byakko himself, a huge feline demon towering over fifteen feet tall. And boy, he looks angry!

'You pieces of trash who caused me to come all the way here...' Byakko growled. 'Don't think too highly of yourself just because you defeated Genbu!'

'He's tall!' Yusuke gasped. 'About three meters tall maybe?'

'That wasn't in the arrangement...' Kuwabara sputtered out.

'It's frustrating enough to be locked in a castle without a single taste of human flesh...Reikai now has the nerve of sending three humans and two traitors to deal with us! Listen up trash!' Byakko roared. 'Humans are all my food! Hiei! Kurama! I shall tear your body to bits and feed you to hungry ghouls!' they all cringed at his loud roar.

'Are you done yakking by now? Your declaration took over four minutes...' Ryoma drawled, unimpressed as she walked forward. 'Done ranting by now?'

'You...you'll face me little girl?' Byakko sputtered as he began howling in laughter. 'This is too funny I can't even bring myself to be angry anymore!'

'Yes yes, whatever, laugh at the tiny one.' Ryoma huffed indignantly with her hands on her hips as she took off her mask.

'H-hey Ryoma! What about your condition?' Yusuke yelped with eyes wide when she took off her mask.

'I'll finish this quick. Then either Hiei or Kurama can flush the air out of me!' indeed, she was quick. She created her scythe, and she was gone...appearing behind Byakko. Next thing they knew, Byakko was in pieces as she walked back towards them.

'T-that was quick...I had no idea you're that good...' Kuwabara croaked as Ryoma feigned sickness as she sank on her knees on the floor. 'I didn't even see you attack!'

'I only saw the moment she struck...after that, nothing else. She's very good.' Kurama commented as he is also impressed with her skills. Hiei developed a sense of respect for the girl who is indeed a competent fighter. Being a speedster himself, he could clearly see...and count how many times she hacked Byakko.

'Somebody flush the air out of me quick!' she choked as she convincingly looked sick. 'And how are you gonna do it?'

'Well...plug your nose and we'll suck it from your mouth.' Hiei told her as Ryoma, Yusuke, Kuwabara went white.

'Y-you mean..._you're gonna kiss her_?' Kuwabara sputtered as Hiei slightly blushed.

'Suck the air not kiss! There's a difference you brainless ape!' Hiei snapped in annoyance. 'Now then,' he said as he turned to Ryoma. 'When I let go, don't breathe until you put your mask back on. Now open your mouth.' Ryoma did so with a furious blush on her face as Hiei placed his mouth over hers and began the procedure, while Yusuke and Kuwabara looked squeamish with a mix of awkwardness and embarrassment. Kurama just watched in amusement, wondering how Hiei feels...in kissing a girl.

Yeah, he'll suck the air but as long as lips contact to either lips, hands or cheeks, it still counts as a kiss.

Hiei still has a lot to learn.

'By the way, why'd you take your mask off? You coulda just hacked Byakko as easily.' Yusuke pointed out after Hiei was done with the treatment.

'Using such levels of speeds requires a lot of breathing so I can properly execute my moves and my mask not only filters makai air, it also restricts my breathing by half...and I want to rush this job before my parents get home.'

xxx

After the procedure, Ryoma could not look at Hiei out of embarrassment. Even Hiei looked a bit awkward, Kurama was smiling while Kuwabara and Yusuke still looked a tad pale until they felt cold.

'Is it me or is it getting colder the closer we get?' Ryoma shivered. She has it hard as her dress was sleeveless. Earlier all of them were sweaty when they passed a hot-as-hell room with numerous small platforms and a pool of boiling lava below and avoided other traps with Kuwabara's strong sense of telepathy and now, she was FREEZING.

'Which means we're getting closer to either Suzaku or Seiryu's room.' said Kurama. 'The youki is also getting stronger.' they then arrived to a room guarded by dragon statues. 'We're here.'

xxx

'There's somebody with strong telepathic powers in their midst!' Seiryu cried. 'They avoided all our traps and are now heading towards our location!'

'But we are only left with you Seiryu, and me.' said Suzaku.

'Worry not Suzaku-sama. Genbu and Byakko are only mere supporting actors. I shall finish them off and open a pathway to Ningenkai!'

xxx

Seiryu showed up and it was Hiei's turn to fight...big mistake on Seiryu's part. Hiei is a hybrid fire and ice demon and Seiryu was ice alone. Hiei hacked him to pieces as well...and on the topmost floor...was one with trouble, and danger. Botan called through Yusuke's compact communicator and called that the possessed humans are all chasing Keiko, causing Yusuke to be frantic with worry...that and their pathway is blocked by the Plant People.

'These guys?' Ryoma gasped. 'They have no sense of pain nor self! They're puppets at best and quite the cannon fodder...he wants to stall us, at least until he captures your friend!'

'Bloody scumbag!' Yusuke growled as he promised Suzaku intense bloody murder. 'I'll decimate through their fucking ranks!' he cried as he prepared his Shotgun, but Kurama halted him.

'Cool it Yusuke.' he said. 'You're only playing into Suzaku's pace by being edgy and impatient. Don't waste your reiki on this either.'

'But there's no other way to get to the top floor unless we defeat these mooks!' Yusuke cried. 'Unless you got other ideas!'

'...there's a window on the top floor.' Hiei pointed out.

'And we're not grasshoppers!' Yusuke deadpanned as the window of the top room was so high up.

'...I got an idea.' said Hiei as when he proposed his plan...they executed it. Kuwabara, who was physically strongest was at the bottom, Kurama sat on his shoulders and Hiei stood on his shoulders.

'You, are so dead meat...' Kuwabara growled to Hiei while groaning under the weight. 'Why me?'

'You're the tallest and with strong legs so you could easily support them.' Ryoma pointed out. 'To help you out some, reinforce your bones and muscles with reiki to make it easy on you.'

'Thanks...alright Urameshi!' Kuwabara cried as he ran towards the plant people. 'I'm not responsible for the consequences of this unauthorized man jump!'

'Watch me!' and Yusuke ran for it, stepped on Kuwabara, Kurama and Hiei and jumped for the window...and successfully got in. 'Success! Kurama, Kuwabara! Hiei thanks a bunch! If I make it back, I'm gonna treat you guys!' and he left.

'Just dont die ahou!' Kuwabara yelled as he rubbed his back where Yusuke stepped on it. 'Well, now what?'

'We reap a couple overgrown weeds.' said Hiei as they all took out their weapons, and made sport of the Plant People.


	12. A day with Yukimura

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>A day with Yukimura<p>

Kuwabara, Kurama, Ryoma and Hiei played with the Plant People when after forty minutes later...and the top room suffered some damage, and sure enough, Suzaku is defeated and Yusuke himself is out cold and dangerously low on Reiki.

'Urameshi!' Kuwabara cried worriedly for Yusuke as they all rushed to oversee his condition. Kurama placed his hand over Yusuke's chest.

'This looks bad...he's almost out of Reiki and his heart is barely beating!' Kurama choked as Ryoma immediately placed her left hand over his heart, with her right hand inches above.

'Don't worry! I'll jumpstart him soon enough!' she promised as she proceeded to 'jumpstart' Yusuke with her powers...

xxx

Later, back home...

'Ah, what a harrowing night...' Ryoma sighed as she snuck into her room. 'Come to think of it...everytime I go out on a job, my parents are out...conveniently long too...' she mused thoughtfully.

'Oh, about that!' said Koenma as he appeared all of a sudden to Ryoma, startling the daylights out of her. 'I implant thoughts of going out on dates in their minds or go out on holidays, depending on how long the mission is!' he piped up. 'So you don't have to worry about them catching you anytime soon.' he said as Ryoma's jaws dropped.

'Y-you what?'

xxx

And so, things went back to normal at home for Ryoma at least, or so she thought, when after school, a guy in a yellow uniform came to their courts that day. It was a day after work. He had spiky silver-white hair in a wrapped ponytail. 'Yo, Tezuka!' he greeted oh-so-casually.

'Niou.' Tezuka acknowledged as everything went to a standstill when this person came and Ryoma wondered why. This Niou person caused everyone to stop whatever they were doing, and STARE. 'What is it?'

'I know this is asking for too much, considering it's you I'm asking a favor of, but I'm here because of 'Mura-buchou.' said Niou. 'He wants to have a talk with your lovely lady. He won't tell us why but whenever she was brought up, he acts like he saw a ghost and thoroughly disturbed.' he said as he scratched his head. 'So can she come over with me to the hospital and have her skip practice today?' the Regulars looked at Tezuka at this.

'It's not out of curiosity, correct?'

'Nope.'

'Echizen. You can go.' he told the lone freshman regular Niou easily spotted. She's really cute with wavy long hair tied in a ponytail, but with sharp eyes and gave him a rather steel stare.

'Hai. Just this once.' she said firmly as she left for the showers.

'Whoa...stoic li'l miss, ain't she?' Niou whistled as she left without a second glance.

'Hehe, Ryoma-chan takes Tennis seriously.' said Momoshiro. 'Those she deems worthy are referred to respectfully and so far, only a handful of people earned it. She'll be cold to you for a while since she doesn't know you.'

'Right...' Niou trailed off.

'A little warning...do NOT treat her like a girl. You'll regret it. Bad.' said Inui. 'She doesn't like it.'

'That's an understatement! She threatened the whole club when you guys spilled the beans after the Intra-Ranking.' Kikumaru grinned. 'Treat her as one of us guys, you'll be fine. Treat her like a girl, you'll be sorry! Her idea of punishment hurts!' he warned Niou with a wagging finger. 'She kicked a non-regular at the ass, he couldn't sit in class without looking constipated when he tried the gentleman card on her.'

'KIKUMARU!' came an indignant yell from across the court from a non-regular.

'Haha! Sorry sorry Ishiyama!'

'I better warn the guys then by group message...' Niou cackled. 'Nice! You got a fiery spitfire! I was thinking the girl that joined your ranks is pretty high-maintenance chinaware or something...' a blur of yellow zipped by and struck Niou in the head. 'OW!'

'...she heard you.' Fuji, Kikumaru, Oishi and Kawamura chorused as Niou rubbed his still-sore head. Tennis balls are hard dammit! He looked around to see no one, but an open window by the shower rooms, where girl in question was wearing a polo shirt and halfway done in buttoning it down.

'But she's so far away!'

'Her hearing's really sharp, especially if it's about her being referred to as 'female'.' Fuji told him with a wider smile than people usually see on him. 'She prefers being a man.' Five minutes later, Niou saw that they weren't kidding...she came out wearing the BOYS' uniform and walked in a rather upright masculine way.

'Let's go.' she even said 'let's go' in masculine speech. Girls would normally say 'iku wa yo' but Ryoma said 'ikuzo' in a deep voice that sounded perfectly male. Niou would really have fun with this girl.

xxx

On the way by bus ride, it was rather quiet. Ryoma did not talk to him at all so Niou knew he had to start something. 'So Echizen, where are you from? I mean, all kids know of my school just by looking at our uniform alone. You're the only one who didn't react unlike the rest of the club.' he said. 'You can say our school's famous.'

'...America.' Niou facefaulted. No wonder! 'To be specific, California. We lived far away from towns. We like our isolated peace and quiet as we lived in a beach house near the beach.'

'So you grew up swimming and nothing else?' Niou asked the girl.

'...yes. It's the only fun thing to do there...and I dive too. My parents don't know of course...and my mother finds herself wondering why she gets a box of pearls as birthday presents from me enough for a string necklace.' Niou threw his head back from laughter. 'I dived for those.'

'Cool! You're probably the only kid who DIVES for their mom's b-day gifts.' Niou cackled as Ryoma glanced at him.

'And you believed me like that when normally people wouldn't?'

'Hehe, I believe ya kid. I'd know if someone's lying and who's not. Afterall, I'm a liar myself and a damn good one in the courts.' Niou told her rather proudly and Ryoma can't believe how on earth can anyone be proud of being a liar of all things. 'And your hair is enough giveaway. It's kinda dry and coarse-looking when normally, girls would do anything and I do mean anything to make them soft and silky to the touch by using all kinds of shampoo.' he said. 'And dry hair breaks off easily so you really should take care of your hair.' Ryoma just stared at Niou before sighing.

'Where's the nearest salon then?' she asked him. 'If I asked my mom, I'll be doomed to all girly horrors in a parlor instead of just putting up with what I came there for.' she deadpanned. 'Plus...shopping.' she said the word 'shopping' as if it was some sort of disgusting disease with the expression to match. Niou inwardly cackled out loud while he tried to suppress his snorting using his hand.

'Oh, there's one near Kawamura Sushi. Just ask your senpai to take you there.' said Niou. 'I passed by it on the way to your school.'

'Anyhow, what's your Captain want with me of all people?' Ryoma asked the white-haired boy. 'I don't know the guy.'

'We don't know. We just thought he's interested in Seigaku's lone girl. But when we teased him about it, he gave us 'the look' and strongly protested he wasn't into you 'that way'. He wants to clear up something with you and he won't tell us what. This is the first time he ever kept a secret from us all so whatever this is, must be pretty big.' Niou reasoned. 'Heck, I am to leave you alone to him and you guys just talk about whatever even though our whole team's DYING to know what Mura' wants with you.'

'Heee...'

xxx

Morita Hospital...room 505. A couple rooms away from where Kurama's mother used to stay in, Ryoma took note of. The name plate '幸村-様' was written on a card under the number by the nameplate slot and Niou knocked first. 'Oy Yukimura! You in?' and he took a peek inside but he wasn't there. 'Not here...maybe the rooftop.' he mused. 'He told us at the beginning of his 'house arrest' that if he's not in his room, he'd be on the roof.'

'What's he sick with, Niou-san?' Ryoma asked Niou as they walked to the rooftop.

'A rare nerve disease...Guillain Barre Syndrome.' Niou sighed. 'It causes paralysis in the limbs and numbs him at random times. Sometimes he can walk, sometimes he can't.' upon arrival at the rooftop, Yukimura was indeed there. 'There he is. Well, this is where I leave you. He wants a private chat.' he said. 'He somehow knows if anyone's eavesdropping so I gotta scat.' and he ran off, leaving Ryoma alone with the boy who was still by the bench. She walked towards him.

"OK, so the mysterious captain." Ryoma mused as she approached him. 'Yukimura-san.' Yukimura turned around to see the girl he longed to see out of worry. He wanted to look for her since 'that day' but he could not as he was stuck here. Then when his best friend Sanada brought the April Issue over as well as some schoolwork for him, he finally found her, discovered her name and school, as well as her purpose for the Tennis Association according to that particular issue. Then when May Issue came, she had quite a first debut. All her matches ended in five minutes flat, including changing courts as her opponents never stood a chance, while she had a little difficulty with Fudoumine's Ibu Shinji with his technique that temporarily paralyzes her and caused an incident that nearly lost her an eye, but she was quick to avert impending damage with impressive reflexes that impressed many. She earned respect that same day as well.

Now he gets to meet her in the flesh. 'Echizen-san. Sit with me. It'll be hard for you to talk while standing.' he said with a smile, so Ryoma sat down.

'Niou-san says you want to see me. Naze?' Ryoma asked the bluenette who looked troubled before he faced her with a nervous smile.

'Please don't misinterpret until I'm done explaining.' he said. 'I wanted to meet you and ask you if you were alright...not sick or anything because one month and two weeks ago, I came up here to the roof for fresh air and decided on the day to come out at night since night air is better than day air...and then I saw you with a redhead and that famous delinquent...' Ryoma paled with horror at this. 'With a talking mirror. You already know what happened here.'

'And you saw it all?' Ryoma choked weakly. 'How? Ordinary humans can't...oh crud, you're not ordinary...if you could see that mirror and what we've done, it means you have some form of power as well. You have reiki. I take it you have a lot of questions...?'

'I do. How are you? You gave away some of your life for that redhead, right? Urameshi did the same as well.' Yukimura asked her. Ryoma, to his surprise. Grinned.

'I'll explain from the beginning.' she said. 'First off, about Yusuke...you heard news that he died from a car accident right?'

'Er no. No TV in hospitals. He died?'

'Yeah. Fortunately for him, its not yet his time to die and Reikai has no room for him yet up there so they offered to revive him back to the world of the living if he passed and proved himself a good human. He passed the test and is back to life. He was then employed as a Reikai Tantei. His first case was me.'

'You?'

'Yes...on my second day here in Japan after moving from America, there was a hostage-taking in a restaurant where my mother was at, on a business dinner with a client. Upon seeing the news on TV, dad and I rushed to rescue her by going through the vents but only I can fit in. What my parents didn't know, is that I have powers...I can create weapons using my aura.' and to prove her point, she materialized a number of melee weapons to Yukimura's amazement. 'I used my powers to create knives and destroy the CCTV wires, so my sneak entry into the restaurant won't be recorded and made headlines.' she snorted. 'Reikai detected my power in the restaurant and linked me through the hostage-taking incident...and found me at Seigaku. I was then recruited as a Tantei as well.' she purposefully left behind that she is a youkai.

'Oh...tell me all about Reikai afterwards.' Yukimura told her as she nodded and continued.

'Then came our first case together. The three youkai thieves. But let's talk about the one in the hospital. The second thief has a good reason to steal what he stole...the Mirror of Forlorn Hope. Why forlorn is because it takes the lives of those who wish upon it. He was a youkai who possessed a pregnant woman's unborn baby 14 years ago and became her son, while the actual soul of her son was consumed by him in order to live. As he grew up as a human and very much loved by his human mother, he too, grew to love her back. Then when she fell critically ill...he did all he could. He even went as far as using Makai herbs on her but his efforts couldn't save her. So he allied with the two other thieves so he could steal this mirror and wish for her happiness even if he dies. He feels that dying for her sake should be atonement for lying to her...but Yusuke and I think otherwise.'

'I know. I overheard the three of you.' said Yukimura with a soft smile. 'Seeing a parent cry over their dead child is the worse thing that can ever happen to a parent...so you offered some of your life force to create the equivalent of one life so the redhead didn't have to die.'

'Yeah.'

'Then...how long do you have left to live?' Yukimura asked her worriedly. 'Giving some of your life force away probably shaved off years off your lifespan.' to his incredulous reaction, Ryoma laughed.

'No need to worry about that! The Spirit of the Mirror explained itself about why we're still OK.' Ryoma chuckled as she put her elbows on the backrest of the bench. 'It said that it gave itself that reputation on purpose so people would stop wishing for selfish things by fearing for their lives. Since we all had pure, unselfish wishes, it was impressed with us that we were all willing to die for another's sake, so it let us off and granted redhead's wish anyway.'

'Oh so nothing wrong with your life whatsoever?'

'Nope.'

'Oh then tell me about Reikai!' Yukimura told her eagerly and Ryoma obliged.

xxx

Yukimura had an interesting lesson about the three worlds from Ryoma. Reikai, Makai, and the relationship between inhabitants of three worlds, and Yukimura was spooked that for demons, humans are just 'food' and nothing else but there are some good youkai who abstained from human meat like the upper-class youkai of classes A and S. Ironically, the strongest youkai want peace and no trouble while the weaker classes are being typical demons.

'Well, you have some power in you too but you're untrained...all you can do right now is see what humans can't normally see.' Ryoma told Yukimura as she stood up from the bench, created a scalpel knife and flung it to seemingly nothing as Yukimura noted, only for a small youkai to come out and get killed when the scalpel stabbed into it's forehead. _Now_ Yukimura believed demons existed. 'But you can be trained. You're a Tennis Player and Captain of your club, yes? So you're very physically fit with plenty of energy to spare but you lack in Reiki. That can be easily fixed. However, I must supervise your training because this tiresome method, will attract a bunch of D-Class trash for sure. You train, I kill whatever comes here for your safety. Then when you have enough reiki...we'll find out what your ability is.'

'When can we start?' Yukimura asked Ryoma hopefully.

'Every after club everyday but I'll be hiding from your teammates and parents if they come visiting.' said Ryoma. 'In some days, I can't visit as our Coach decided to be uh...formally unorthodox with our training since I came. Unorthodox yes, but even the freshmen are improving with whatever heck we're doing so we're OK with it. And sometimes that takes late into the night. This month, I can visit you. I don't know about next month so I'll have to send the local grim reaper to supervise you on those days.'

'I appreciate all this, Echizen.' Yukimura told her gratefully as he looked at his hands. 'It'd be really cool if I had powers like yours.'

'Hey, to every individual, it's unique. You can't choose what power you want to have. Whether Quest-Class powers like mine, Enhancing Powers or Reikohadoken.' Ryoma drawled. 'Whatever you end up with, you're fated to have it. Some gets lucky, some doesn't. And this power comes with a price.' she told him as she put her hands on her hips. 'Youkai who find reiki-powered humans see them as threats because only reiki-gifted humans can kill them, besides fellow youkai. So better nip the problem in the bud than die is in their mindset. You'll be constantly attacked.' Yukimura paled at this. 'Right now, you have enough power to see reikai objects and low-level demons but that's as far as you can go so they won't bother with you. But the stronger you get, the more threatening you are so I might have to phone Koenma about your case.' she said as she took him back to his room, as his paralysis kicked in when she was halfway explaining about Makai. Upon arrival, she put him on bed, and created a deadly security by his windows and door.

'H-hey! T-these weapons...!' Yukimura panicked as there were elaborate traps meant to slice and hack whatever would poke their way into his room.

'It's OK, only reiki-powered people can see this and you're the only one in this hospital.' Ryoma drawled. 'These are designed to react to youki. The minute some youkai gets in, they get killed. You can't leave this room from now on alright?'


	13. Case in Point: St Rudolph

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Case in Point: St. Rudolph<p>

After leaving Yukimura in his room, Ryoma had gone to Reikai to report to Koenma about Yukimura and her concerns about the ill boy.

'You wish to train him but fearing that if you're not around, youkai will take advantage of an ill human whose illness is random paralysis in random times?' Koenma mused as he looked up his computer to see records of Yukimura. 'Here he is...'

'I want to cheat a little so I'd know how to train him. Is it possible to know the futures of humans in Reikai?' Ryoma asked Koenma curiously.

'The future is a fickle thing, affected by the choices of the present before it gets recorded in their Life Diaries. It constantly changes so there's no telling what will happen to Yukimura Seiichi and what abilities he'll gain after you're through with him.'

'Sou ka...it's just that next month, which grim reaper is available to train him? Next month, we'll be at the sports complex till nightfall! I can't visit him then!'

'Well...there's always Kurama but with the security you put in, he'll get quite hurt so I have to send someone with Reiki to bypass the security you made.' Koenma chuckled. 'I'd send Yusuke but all teenagers are wary of him and how.' he deadpanned. 'Either I'll go or I'll send Botan next month.'

'Yes and can you somehow tinker with my teammates minds too? They're no ordinary bunch...they're the nosy bunch if they noticed a pattern in my actions.' Ryoma grumbled. 'One time they followed me to see if there's anything I do that's considered girly like eating parfaits! Too bad for them I go to snack bars! Until Yukimura's training is at least done. You tinkered with my parents too right?'

'Sheesh, this will be quite the paperwork, Ryoma!' Koenma moaned at Ryoma's request. Then again, her case was difficult. Unlike Yusuke whose situation was...unfortunately convenient-Yusuke's mother would rather party and get herself drunk than take care of her son, and his only friends were Keiko and Kuwabara who knew of his 'job' and a volunteer at times and these two HARDLY attend school. Ryoma had attentive parents whose minds had to be addled into making them go out on dates hours in advance, so Ryoma can do her job and now this. She attends school, has a normal, social life thus, her case was more difficult to handle, demon or not.

xxx

And so...

First month...

'Well, for our first week together, I'll teach you how to feel your Reiki. Reiki is essentially the power our soul creates. It's also our link to our will to live.' Ryoma explained. 'First step always starts off with meditation. I'll let you feel how Reiki feels like.' and she created a ball of reiki in her hands, and Yukimura stared at the glowing white ball with a bluish hue of light. 'You can touch it. It's purely reiki with no intent to heal or hurt.' So Yukimura touched it and his body and something in him stirred. 'Your body recognizes reiki now so locating within you will be made easier.'

'Hang on, you said something about 'intent'...' Yukimura interjected.

'Yeah, Reiki, without purpose by it's user is just pure, raw power.' Ryoma told him. 'Just energy. However, in your mind, when you want this power to do something whether to smack or kill someone or heal...it will function the way you want it to. I won't use offensive reiki for now as reiki can damage physical property so I'll show you the healing and masterializing aspect instead.' she materialized a scalpel and with a swift movement, cut into her skin and Yukimura can see a line of red...with her blood coming out of the wound. Ryoma exposed it to healing Reiki before she wiped the blood off with a handkerchief, and Yukimura saw her wound gone. 'See?'

'W-wow...so raw power at first then they do what you want, huh?'

'Pretty much. Now that you know how Reiki feels like, focus in your mind. Search your whole being for Reiki. Remember how it felt when you touched my reiki. Once you found your reiki stores in your mind, focus on it spreading through your whole body. Expose your body to your reiki. Upon accomplishing all that, move your reiki around your body until you can do it at will. This is a basic reiki control exercise for begi...nners?' Ryoma choked as Yukimura was already doing it. 'Holy crap! This wasn't supposed to be too easy!' she sputtered incredulously. 'And you got it in one try!' Yukimura looked proud and smug with himself at this.

'I'm not called the prodigy for nothing.' Yukimura smirked. 'Things were always too easy for me it's boring.' Ryoma sweatdropped while twitching.

'Right...now that you've done that beginner exercise...we'll continue with exposure and increase your reiki reserves. Leak your reiki out of your body until you run out of power. This will force your soul to make more reiki.'

'Let me see yours.' Yukimura said as Ryoma flared out her power. It surrounded her with a rather thick, 10 inch glow surrounding her body. 'W-whoa!'

'I'm leaking it but at the same time compressing it so you can see it clearer.' Ryoma told him as she stopped. 'I'm at a High C-Class Level. You on the other hand, are at the lowest level...barely an E.' Yukimura sulked at this. 'But if you are a prodigy as you claim yourself to be, you should be at a D-Class level at the end of this month. This is D-Class level power.' and the aura surrounding Ryoma is just three inches thick surrounding her body. 'Hora? When you do this training even if I'm not around, make sure you lie on your bed so the nurses and visiting friends and family are none the wiser.'

'So getting strong by power is easy?' Yukimura asked Ryoma curiously.

'Yes but without application, strong power is still useless because we use Reiki to fight. We have to generate reiki even while fighting an enemy, even D-class chumps. By circulating reiki around your body, you can then use it to reinforce your body by stiffening your skin, muscles and bones, plus put a barrier of reiki above just incase, to minimalize damage that could get you killed. You can also use this to have superhuman strength and speed. Then you can also use reiki to power up your senses to detect hostile enemies, deflect attacks, control it's shape...anything. Although to do all of the following, you need more power to last long in battle. So this month, we'll dedicate it to increasing your power.'

Second month...

'Yahoo-hoo!' Botan greeted Yukimura as she arrived into his room by riding her oar. 'I'm Ryoma-chan's substitute, Botan!'

'Konnichiwa, Botan-san. What does Echizen-san want me to do next?' Yukimura asked the young(?) grim reaper. He had always thought Death would be a skeleton in a dirty, tattered hooded cloak complete with a scythe, not kimono-clad girls riding boat oars!

'Well, first I'll measure your power.' Botan told him. 'If you're still not a D-Class level yet, keep up with exhausting yourself silly and recover. But if you're at a D-Class level, we'll proceed to reiki basics.' "Although Ryoma-chan told me to tell him he's not D-Class yet to keep up with his current menu..." she thought. To Ryoma, Yukimura is already D-Class but she wants that by next month, he should he close to C-Class so they would have to trick him this month.

xxx

Second month...they were back to the Sports Complex stamina, endurance and muscle training...by swimming. But by their third weekend after ball machines, however...

'Alright club, gather 'round!' Ryuuzaki barked as the whole club gathered. 'Next week on Thursday, it's the start of the Tokyo Tournaments!' and she yanked off a white cloth off the whiteboard showing a table of schools leading to the top. There were plenty of schools who had the BYE and automatic advancements with Seigaku one of them. 'We're doing a great job improving our skills but other schools are also getting stronger. But in the end, we MUST win to secure us a ticket to the Nationals!'

'Hai!'

'Well, for the Regulars, they are to rest their sore muscles so they'll be in peak condition for the Tokyo Tournaments. Non-Regulars and Freshmen, back to the Sports Complex we go! You're NOT getting a break just yet!'

'EHHHH?' they all whined but Inui came up with holding a glass of...pond scum-colored liquid.

'If you want a break that badly, try some of this to make you feel better.' he said in his creepy voice, while holding up the glass for the non-regulars and freshmen to see, and of course, NONE OF THEM wanted it.

The non-regulars and freshmen were quick to board their bus.

'That's quick.' Fuji chuckled. 'See you this Thursday Inui.'

'Aa.' said Inui who was demoted to Non-Regular from the last Intra-Ranking as they left with Ryuuzaki-sensei.

'Let's rest our sore muscles so no exerting ourselves much, we're excused from club until after our first matches.' said Oishi. It was a great idea. They all hid it but they were all sore...their weights increased to 15 for crying out loud, while unknown to them, Ryoma carried twenty to catch up with the boys in physical strength, being a girl. So her menu was twice as worse with plus-five weights and next month was ball machines that would spit hi-speed balls again!

Ryoma, being a youkai can handle that, but she had to act the part of having difficulty...she sometimes cursed situations like this. She just hoped Botan made Yukimura increase his reserves more before his second training month ends, whilst she rested her sore body.

'Ahhh...I miss my old body already...' Ryoma complained as she let herself fall on her bed. 'My old body is much stronger than this frail, human female body, arrgh!' she grumbled as she changed her clothes to sleepwear. 'I need a nap!' and as soon as she fell on her bed, she was out like a light. From Tuesday till Wednesday, the Regulars had plenty of free time and it was to rest. Swimming in the Sports Complex always made them sore. What came after that is muscle training, then ball machines and each regimen lasts a week. Then the final week would be practice matches in all-out power to test out their improved skills.

The only one WILLING to play with Kawamura was Tezuka, the only person who can withstand the boy's physical power and Momoshiro to a limited degree. Ryoma would have done so as well but that would raise...eyebrows as well as questions, and she had a cover to keep. Fuji plays with Ryoma, the girl who could neutralize all his techniques because she could return and hit with sinkers, as well as quick on her feet to never let her opponent score. Ryuuzaki put them together so Fuji could overcome his sinker weakness as there could be players from opposing teams who can neutralize his counters. Oishi and Inui played together, Kaidoh with Kikumaru and then switch with Momoshiro. This was done to test their improvements from their three weeks of pain.

That was their training routine since Ryoma came. Then Tezuka had an idea that Sunday. He phoned the lone female Regular. He had her cell number as she advised the Regulars to NOT call their Landline Phone. A boy calling their home to look for her will cause her father to go starkers, hyperventilate about his 'little baby getting a boyfriend' and a series of irrationality Ryoma has no patience to put up with. That was what she said as she gave them her cell number.

Ryuuzaki warned him and Oishi who knew of Ryoma that Nanjiroh...tends to OVERREACT when it comes to his wife and daughter...especially his daughter if some suitor comes along. Tezuka DOES NOT want to deal with that either and thus, called Ryoma's phone.

xxx

Ryoma's house...

She was playing a Playstation Game, Final Fantasy VII when her cell phone rang. She paused it and answered her phone. 'H'llo papa-buchou? A match this afternoon by Amida University...I don't know where that is though so could you get me? Thanks. I'll get ready.' she saved her game, turned the console off and put the Playstation away before she went up to her room to get dressed and ready for her match-date with Tezuka.

She waited for him to pick her up. When he rang the doorbell, she knew it was him. 'Buchou.' Tezuka nodded to acknowledge her before they left. 'So what's our match for?' she asked him as she had her right hand cling to his left elbow, steadily healing it with her power. She had been keeping up since day one. Now that she had the opportunity to stick to him longer than she could, she can fully heal his arm injury. Being with humans made her like them as she met nice humans so far, she has yet to meet the asshole kind whom she wouldn't hesitate to maim or kill.

'I need to test your current level and see where you stand against Captain-Class Players. You will face me today.' Tezuka told her. 'After this year, it's only you, Momoshiro and Kaidoh.' Ryoma knew very well what he implied by his words alone.

'One of us will be the Captain next year then.' Ryoma mused. 'Sorry buchou but despite the reputation I built, no guy would accept a female Captain. That's the sexist reality.' she deadpanned. 'Kaidoh-senpai would be the ideal one as he can intimidate anyone into staying in line with his gaze alone. And Momoshiro...well, he's too approachable and friendly to be Captain. You've known them for two years right?'

'I do but I still see a Captain in you as well.' Tezuka told her. 'I hope I see some Captain qualities from you before we graduate.' Ryoma grimaced.

'How come you don't want Kaidoh-senpai to be Captain?'

'...he loses his temper too easily and prone to argue and fight, so that leaves you.' Tezuka told her flatly. 'Before the Nationals, you must get a lot of respect from the club this year. You already have some as a Regular for defeating Kikumaru, Inui, Momoshiro and Kaidoh.'

'...didn't notice I had some.' Ryoma shrugged when Tezuka placed a hand on his shoulder.

'I will play you at my full power to test your skills.' he said. 'For some reason...ever since you came to the club, my arm slowly healed when my arm never did before you came.' Ryoma froze in her steps. 'But according to Oishi's uncle at the hospital yesterday when I told Oishi and sensei my plans, I'm almost better he thought I was self-rehabilitating myself and got quite a scolding.' this was the most Tezuka spoke to anyone. He hardly talked in club and it was always direct to the point in short sentences and his catchphrase, 'Yudan sezu ni ikkou.' And no guy in Tezuka's case would openly admit to stuff like this, especially to a girl but...

'W-well, isn't that great?' Ryoma smiled impishly. 'Why'd you get a scolding?'

'Because you need qualified supervision in order to rehabilitate and they thought I exercised on my own and drank medicine without proper prescription although they couldn't detect medicine by a blood test.' Ryoma blinked at him owlishly before giggling in her real voice. 'But I got the feeling you had something to do with it...somehow.' Tezuka admitted. Indeed, Ryoma had been slowly healing him with her power by pretending to cling on him at times but there's NO WAY Ryoma would admit to that, ever!

'Oh come on! This is no fairytale!' Ryoma laughed. 'It's just coincidental papa-buchou but isn't healing a good thing? Might as well keep it a trump card secret for a heady dose of psychological attack against strong guys soon since everyone knows you usually stay on the sidelines because of it. You and Oishi-mama planned on it right?'

'Yes.'

'Then let's keep it between us until we're up with strong guys!' upon arrival in Amida, it was full business. Ryoma wanted to see this Captain's skills for herself while staying purely human-level in her skills...and she discovered that Tezuka was way better than she was. And she could only score three games from him.

'Whoa...' Ryoma croaked as she shakily stood up. 'I lost.'

'You're very good for your age.' Tezuka told her as he tossed her a towel, which she snatch from the air when it was within reach and dried herself up. 'A freshman getting three games from a Captain is beyond one's expectations. You have potential and more room to grow. You have the potential to become Seigaku's pillar of support.'

'Er thanks I guess...' Ryoma grinned as far from them, Oishi was observing their game. He was shocked to see Tezuka go all out without as much as grimacing over old wounds. He then left them when he saw that nothing wrong would happen.

xxx

After that match...

Ryoma found herself a lot to think about. Tezuka was way better than the guys she faced at America in her four American Championship titles. He was on another whole level and then she asked a question. 'Hey papa-buchou...' she asked him as Tezuka took her home. 'Which school is the strongest in regards to Tennis?' she asked him curiously.

'...Rikkaidai Fuzoku.' Tezuka told her. 'You've met two of their members, Niou and the Captain Yukimura. Their players are all Captain-Level Players due to their strict and formal training methods, which we now also use. There's hope we can catch up somehow but I know that they're not swimming for it.' he joked. Tezuka felt that they were the only school who swam laps in an ol

'Haha...so then the strongest Captain is that pretty boy in the hospital then?'

'Yes. I doubt that being in the hospital would put him out for long. When we were your age, I barely won against him.' Tezuka admitted. 'He was the strongest person I faced. His prodigious skills increased over the years as far as I know. Either you or I would face him if we made it far in the Nationals.'

'Hai.'

xxx

Next week, Thursday...is the start of the Tokyo Tournaments...Ryoma got a phone call from Botan while on the bus. 'So he did it eh? Good. Step 2.'

xxx

Hospital...

'You're finally a Class D(low C) so it's time to start with step 2, Yukimura-kun.' said Botan as she put her phone down. 'She wants you to improve your Reiki control abilities.'

'But I can already do that at will.' Yukimura pointed out. He really wanted to start on something big and fun like finding out what he can do!

'Yes but she's got really high standards.' said Botan sheepishly. 'Because she wants you to be very good on the basics, so by the time you're OK enough to leave hospital, she'll be training you in combat immediately.' she told him. 'So she wants your skill level in basics really high by then. Her standards are high because if you lack enough skill, it can get you killed in a fight against youkai.' she explained. 'Ryoma-chan fought youkai...been there, done that so she knows better what a strong fighter needs. Basics are boring but very essential. She told me to whack you with my oar if you don't get working.' Yukimura stared incredulously at the reaper at this.

'W-what?'

xxx

Tokyo Tournaments...

At the start of the Tokyo Tournaments, their team had been instructed to end their matches quickly. They didn't disappoint.

'I wonder why sensei wants us to end our matches quickly though?' Kikumaru wondered aloud. 'It's not like her to rush.'

'Cuz' we got a peeping tom watching us for quite a while now.' Ryoma drawled as her eyes fell on a curly-haired boy across the courts in a school uniform with brown tie and slacks. 'She thinks he's gathering our data so she doesn't want him getting much out of us by finishing our matches quick and without revealing our improvements.'

'Nyaa?' Kikumaru yelped as they subtly glanced at the said watcher. 'He's looking at Fujiko-chan like some piece of meat!'

Is he really observing? The way he looks at Fuji-senpai is really weird!' Momoshiro shuddered as his teammates stared at him for his subtly 'homo' comment.

'I'll say.' Kawamura agreed. 'Well, should we tell him?' he asked everyone who shook their heads.

'We prefer our sanities intact, thanks.' said Oishi flatly. Unknown to the whole club which is known only to him and Tezuka alone, under that smiling face, Fuji is downright scary if provoked. He was the living personification of 'let sleeping dogs lie' for he is dangerous if 'the dog wakes'. That happened when Yuuta, his younger brother was still in Seigaku, constantly compared to him in everything, and used said brother to get close to him, causing Fuji to fly off the handle for his brother's sake, but the damage was already done to Yuuta, prompting him to transfer out to have his own identity, not just 'Fuji's little brother'.

The people responsible left Seigaku in fear of the older Fuji's wrath. Tezuka had been wary of Fuji since even after the boy calmed down. The two of them were sufficiently traumatized enough, thank you!

xxx

Later that day...their observer, Mizuki Hajime was wondering why were their matches so mercilessly quick, he could hardly get any data, especially on the lone female regular of Seigaku, Echizen Ryoma. For a twelve year old female, she treated her five opponents like they didn't exist! St. Rudolph, his school will soon come up against Seigaku, 100 percent sure, as his strategies won his team in predicted sets with the data he took pride in. But he could not take much data if all Seigaku did was serve...and score points with aces!

He was seething. Literally. How can he map things out now? Then again, there's still three more schools which means, three chances left.

xxx

Lunch break...

'Humm...Fudoumine's doing well compared to last time.' Momoshiro commented as they passed by the courts where Fudoumine was playing against Ohsawa Vicational.

'I'll say and I can see Ibu's not using his little trick any longer.' Ryoma smirked. 'No guy can catch a sharp flying handle if they screwed up like I did. That technique's not worth the risk. Where to now? We bought drinks and everyone's gone!' she grumbled as they looked around.

'Ah, found them!' Momoshiro piped up as he saw the familiar appearance of their jerseys from afar. 'Come on chibi!' Ryoma squawked at the remark on her height as they ran towards their club.

'Who are you calling chibi Momoshi_ri_?' Momoshiro nearly tripped at the...play on his name.

'It's Momoshi_ro_!' Momoshiro barked indignantly. When they ran past by a couple people, they missed another player to-watch-out-for, Sengoku Kiyosumi of Yamabuki.

'Humm...so that's their female regular. She's really cute!' he grinned with a naughty smile on his face that rather made him look like a monkey. 'Let's see how she does in her matches, shall we?'

xxx

Back at Seigaku...

'Our next and final opponent is St. Rudolph.' said Ryuuzaki. 'We're backed up against a wall but if we bag this one, we're in the best 8 for the Nationals. Doubles 2, Momoshiro and Kaidoh. Doubles 1 Oishi and Kikumaru. Singles 3 Ryoma. Singles 2 Fuji. Singles 1 Tezuka.'

'Listen to me everyone.' said Inui. He had more free time to gather information now that he was a Non-Regular. 'Ever since last year, St. Rudolph gathered it's top athletes and put them through special training. Then there's also Fuji Yuuta, Fuji's otouto. He's gaining notoriety as a Lefty Killer, trained to specifically deal with left-handed players. That's most likely because of Tezuka. I heard their new manager is behind all this.'

'Manager?' Ryoma asked him with a raised eyebrow.

'He's part of the Special Training Team.' said Inui. 'He's pretty good. The team only goes to the school twice a week, other times they just train on the Tennis Courts.'

'Heee...that's pretty formal.' Oishi whistled.

'I wonder what they're doing outside the courts though...' Kikumaru wondered aloud. Then came the surprise by the commitee...two matches will be held on two courts at the same time.

'Uhhh granny? Isn't pairing those two up a bad idea?' Ryoma asked Ryuuzaki worriedly as she looked at Momoshiro and Kaidoh who went to greet their opponents. 'They got quite a history of rivals...and Kaidoh-senpai being a Tsundere...' Inui, Kawamura and Fuji snickered at her description of Kaidoh.

'T-Tsundere...Ii data...' Inui chuckled.

'That seems the best way to describe Kaidoh sometimes.' Fuji giggled.

'Well, we must also take risks if we want to win.' said Ryuuzaki. 'And we have talented Singles Players but our only decent pair so far are the Golden Pair. We must find perfect pairs the hard way sometimes.' she explained.

'Oh...OK.'

And so...the tournaments began. Due to the fact that Ryuuzaki never allowed anyone to play at their own pace and ordered them all to finish their matches quickly, St. Rudolph were forced to play mercilessly and tried to back them into a corner without teamwork, while Oishi and Kikumaru pulled their usual play. Oishi and Kikumaru lost the tiebreak against St. Rudolph's Akazawa and Kaneda by 7-6 as Mizuki predicted although he never had the chance to map out scenarios. Then Momoshiro and Kaidoh against Kisarazu and Yanagisawa.

The rivals swore there is no such thing as Scripted Matches when Yanagisawa spoke of it.

Although victory came by Forfeiture because of Momoshiro's Dunk Smash that somehow ended up almost a Kick Serve as it bounced to Yanagisawa's face and knocked him out. A rather...unorthodox way to win, so everyone earned a 15-min break.

'Yare yare, a rather funny way to win...although that sometimes happens.' Ryoma chuckled as Momoshiro and Kaidoh grumbled their way back to their team.

'Stupid power!' Kaidoh grumbled.

'Shuddup! I'm surprised myself, baka mamushi!' Momoshiro snapped with his teeth biting into the straw while he drank some water. 'That stupid duck just had to faint!'

"Might as well go to the toilet..." Ryoma mused as she went to answer 'the call' to be in top condition for her match.

'Humm...she's going to play Fuji's little brother...wonder what she'll do?' Inui wondered aloud. 'She's always...unpredictable I couldn't really get data on her.'

'She'll do things at her own pace.' said Fuji. 'That's what she always does.' Minutes later, Ryoma came back and gave Inui her weights...but he nearly let them go from the weight.

'T-this isn't what I recommended!' Inui choked as he slowly put her weights down and glanced at the lone girl walking towards the courts.

'Oh, about that, sensei says that since I'm a girl, my menu had to be twice as worse to catch up with the boys' physical strength you know and I've been doing that since first week!'

'Then at swimming...' Kawamura paled. 'She's swimming with 20 kg on!' many jaws dropped at this, while Tezuka looked clearly impressed and approving.

'Kowaii...' Kikumaru squeaked.


	14. Piss him off, you'll be sorry!

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Piss him off, you'll be sorry!<p>

At the Courts...it's Ryoma VS Fuji Yuuta. They shook hands in the courts.

"My opponent...a girl..." Yuuta thought with some difficulty as he had trouble comprehending that his opponent, is female. He took note that there are many observers packing around the fences.

'Oy, I heard that you're Fuji-senpai's younger brother?' Yuuta twitched as the St. Rudolphs fell silent.

'She's got quite the balls to say that to his face!' Nomura Takuya, Vice-Captain of the St. Rudolph team squeaked, but Ryoma wasn't done yet as she looked...mocking as she walked back to the baseline.

'Ah~! I wonder who's stronger~!' Yuuta glared at her with daggers practically coming out of his eyes. From afar, Kurama was watching.

'She did that on purpose, didn't she?' he mused as he startled all of them for appearing out of the blue.

'Ah! Echizen's boyfriend!' Momoshiro exclaimed as Kurama sweatdropped. The curious onlookers saw the 'boyfriend' in question when they heard Momoshiro's exclamation.

'Boyfriend?'

'No way!'

'Look at him man...we don't stand a chance!' and came other thoughts.

'Like I said, we're not a couple...' Kurama deadpanned with a weak smile. Why is it that whenever he visits, he's always mistaken to be her boyfriend?

'Then why are you here, Minamino-san?' Fuji asked Kurama curiously. 'You seem to only show up when it's the final matches.'

'Oh, that's because Ryoma told me the final matches against final schools are more exciting. The previous ones are boring.' Kurama explained as he began watching the match.

'Er since you could come, does this mean you got a lot of free time? No clubs or anything?' Kawamura asked the redhead who chuckled.

'Yup. I love my free time very much.' said Kurama as he glanced behind. 'Ne, aren't you going to watch closer? You're curious aren't you?' he called out.

'Urusai!' came the deeper disgruntled voice.

'Awww don't be like that! I took the trouble of dragging you out here! Come on!' Kurama urged. No response. The redhead rolled his eyes and went to the trees...and dragged a younger boy out.

'O-oy! Don't pull me kisama!'

'Now now, I took the trouble of taking you out here so don't hide and watch with me!' then the redhead managed to drag out a rather unique boy. He had gravity-defying black hair with a white starburst, and sharp reddish-brown eyes. He wore a purple tank top and jeans with sneakers, and his left hand bandaged. What surprised Ryoma's teammates was his muscles.

'Holy crap...is he really a 12-year old? Look at his muscles!' Oishi choked as Kurama pushed the reluctant Hiei towards the fence.

'She sure has interesting friends...' Inui commented as they watched Kurama and the newcomer squabble.

'Minna, meet Setsuno Hiei, a friend of ours.' Kurama grinned, introducing Hiei after they got close enough.

'Tchi, I'll seriously get you for this, you didn't have to push me!' Hiei grumbled as Kurama just smiled mischievously.

'But you're the one curious and I'm simply obliging now let's have fun and watch!' Kurama chirped as he made sure he pinned Hiei in place by putting both hands on his shoulders.

xxx

Down in the Courts...

Iron Wall Ryoma was in full mode. She was analyzing Yuuta's skills as was her style of play while never allowing him to score. "Humm...Fuji-senpai's otouto ain't bad...but if he can't score against me, it's pointless!"

"How come I can't score against her?" Yuuta thought furiously as no matter what he does, Ryoma was quick on her feet to return his shots. "I guess I have to use that!" and he changed his stance.

'Nee...I heard you're trained to deal with lefties.' Ryoma told him in a thoughtful pose as she scored her third game.

'So what?' Yuuta snarked.

'I've played with far, far stronger lefties than you and I lose everyday!' Ryoma revealed rather too cheerfully as the tense atmosphere plummeted.

'Uhhhh...'

'That's not something to be happy about!' Momoshiro sputtered incredulously. 'Just who is this lefty she's losing to everyday?'

'...her father.' said Tezuka as Oishi was snickering. 'And recently, me.'

'Eh? You played her before and she lost? What score nya?' Kikumaru inquired curiously.

'6-3, her loss.'

'6-3? She's that good?' the acrobatic player squawked with his jaws dropping and Inui began taking note of it. Kurama and Hiei wondered HOW can that be good when she lost to the glasses-wearing human.

'Only a freshman but she could snag games from buchou...that's something only Fuji-senpai can do!' Kaidoh gasped in shock at the revelation.

"Ryoma lost to an ordinary human in a sport which means she only used her physical limits and her skills huh?" Kurama thought, intrigued. "Then again, this is sports."

'Compared to the person I always lose to, you're a pea compared to a beach ball!' Ryoma continued her taunt as she returned his shot. Somewhere, Yusuke who was at his school's roof and Botan who was supervising Yukimura sneezed.

'This girl...!' Yuuta twitched as he ran to return her shot but she simply scored against him. "Time to use that!" and he changed his stance, a stance Ryoma recognized. The minute he shot his technique, Ryoma got close enough to return it using a slide-and-jump to shoot a two-arc drive volley before it could bounce too high. 'What?'

'Been there, done that, and I've seen that technique many times! It's not so rare in the west you know!' Ryoma snarked but she narrowed her eyes dangerously. 'But tell me...who's crazy and _stupid enough not to do research_...taught you the Twist Spin Shot?' her tone changed to a dark, menacing voice with an impending threat.

'E-eh?'

'No matter, I'll seal it off so you can't use it again!' and by using her drive volley technique, she sealed it and Yuuta knew it.

'She makes it sound bad...what's the bad part about little Fuji's technique?' Kawamura wondered aloud. 'She knew what it was and countered it by going to the net before he could finish.'

"She noticed too...as expected from her." Ryuuzaki thought. She too, recognized the technique from one glance alone. She decided to explain to her team. 'Ryoma would know that technique, coming from a professional family. It's a technique used only by professionals with well-developed skeletal and muscular structures...and Fuji Yuuta, being only thirteen, is just an adolescent with a still-maturing physique. The posture required to use that technique can very well _destroy an amateur's shoulder,_' many jaws dropped at this and Fuji looked clearly horror-struck at the consequences. '...which is why she's angry at whoever's fool enough to teach a child such a technique.' she explained darkly. 'Even I'm angry!'

'What?' and the Regulars looked worriedly at their Fuji whose smiling face broke into an open-eyed frown.

'Looks like it's not just a sport of rallying yellow balls.' Hiei commented. 'So there's also risks.'

'In every sport there's risk of injury, Hiei. Some temporarily, some for life. This is Ryoma's world.' Kurama told him. 'Curious more than ever now eh?'

Warning bells rang in Oishi and Tezuka's heads. Fuji looked clearly angry even if his face showed little expression. Soon, Ryoma defeated him mercilessly at 6-0.

'She does it again. She's the Iron Wall of Seigaku since she's too fast and can easily run after and return shots.' said Inui. 'I have yet to meet players who can score a game off her outside our school...'

'Damn, you're really strong for a girl...' Yuuta sighed as he shook hands with her. 'I couldn't score a game against you.'

'Fuji Yuuta, I'm sure your dominant shoulder is starting to feel pain from using that technique. Stop it while you still can...or you'll regret it for life. Just incase, have a doctor check it.' Ryoma told him seriously, staring Yuuta in the eye, causing the older boy to gulp from her stare. 'I'm not saying you should stop Tennis but next time, do research on techniques that you are sure will not damage your limbs. And your aniki's clearly angry.' and she left him hanging, while Yuuta glanced subtly glanced at his brother who definitely looked furious.

"Aniki..."

'Tezuka...you still want to play?' Fuji asked Tezuka who simply shook his head in understanding.

'Take it. You have the right to.' he said. He didn't know about that Twist Spin Shot either and it's consequences...and she knew of it considering her history. He should also do research in the future as well. He just healed recently and is not about to have his arms damaged again.

'Thanks!' and Fuji stormed off to the courts just as Ryoma left it...and was quite surprised to see two people...

'Shuichi! Hiei!' Ryoma crowed as Kurama simply smiled and waved his hand at her. 'And you got Hiei of all people to come here...' she said with a grin, completely forgetting about their...kiss.

'It had to take some convincing on my part...some, serious convincing.' Kurama chuckled as Hiei just grunted. 'So, almost done here?'

'Yup, Fuji-senpai just has to thrash one more guy and we're out of here.' Ryoma shrugged as she went to watch the matches. But...'Is it me or is he losing games on purpose...?'

'He is.' said Oishi.

'Nande?'

'That's the guy who taught Yuuta the Twist Spin.' said Oishi. 'An angry Fuji is something you'd never want to cross. Ever. Yeah, he's a nice guy most of the time...always smiling...but if you made him angry, it's like provoking a volcano to erupt. Some people last year managed to earn his wrath...and transferred out of school to get away from him in fear.' he shuddered. 'I and one unlucky other saw everything.'

'Heee...'

'I don't know what Fuji will do now.' Oishi admitted. 'He's clearly very angry. He's losing games on purpose...but we don't know what for yet.'

'...it's five games now...if he loses another game, buchou will have to play. Fuji-senpai better get moving soon...' Ryoma muttered...and Fuji began moving. When he served...it was all powerful flat shots.

Well-calculated flat shots that grazed dangerously close to Mizuki's body to the point of grazing his clothes...Mizuki was clearly panicking as he had no idea how, nor the strength to return flat shots. In six minutes flat, he caught up...

Fuji's revenge, was horrifying.

xxx

'Naruhodo ne...he let his opponent feel he was dominating and have the upper hand...and let him taunt him arrogantly.' Kurama commented. 'Then when five games were up, he practically thrashed him.'

'Hn. Reminds me of someone...wonder who it could be?' Hiei drawled as Kurama smiled. He felt that he might get along with this Fuji boy just fine.

'Saa...don't know who you're talking about.'

'Ass...' Hiei scoffed. After the closing ceremonies, Ryoma met up with them.

'Echizen! Celebration at Taka-san's!' Momoshiro called out.

'Hai! Oy, you two gonna join us? It's free food!' Ryoma grinned as she egged on the two demons.

'Bah, I don't eat human food.' said Hiei in a low voice so humans wouldn't hear.

'Awww come on! Try it first before you judge it! You might even like it!' Kurama insisted...which is how Hiei found himself in Kawamura's Sushi restaurant, celebrating with Ryoma's rowdy companions, and Hiei learned that sushi, was raw meat with vinegar-seasoned rice.

'Hmmm...so humans also eat raw meat huh?' Hiei commented as he tried anago sushi. Kurama figured this may be the only human food Hiei might tolerate aside from ice cream, as demons do NOT like cooked meat. They prefer their food raw.

'Only fish though.' Ryoma told him. 'Raw fish is somewhat tasty especially with soy sauce.' and she poured him a saucer of soy sauce. 'Or if you like, you can order sashimi...which is slices of raw fish.' needless to say, Hiei was quick to order from Kawamura some sashimi, much to their amusement.

'Yare yare, this might be the only human food Hiei will like. At least it'll be easy for us to eat together sometime no?' Kurama smiled as they enjoyed their meal together.

xxx

'I wonder...is it that easy to make friends by chatting online? Minamino-san said that they met online before Echizen transferred here.' Oishi commented while wondering aloud.

'It's not easy. There's many stuff going on online from fraud and other things.' Ryuuzaki told him as she and the other third years sat by the counter where they can clearly keep an eye on Ryoma and her friends. 'Which means, she got lucky she really did meet up with kids. There are many liars in internet chatting as people pretend to be what they are online when in reality, what they told people are plain lies. So you guys better not try this out. Ryoma just got lucky she met decent people and I made sure to scold her not to do that again.'

'Oh...' by the time eat-out celebration was done, somebody had consumed almost all of the fish in the restaurant. Sure, the whole club ate a lot, but the one who ate plenty of just fish, was Hiei, prompting Kurama and Ryoma to rob some rich mook, and somehow managed to slip thick wads of fresh bills into their cash register, full of fresh 10000 yen bills. How they did that, was a mystery involving Kurama's vines.

Some days later, Hiei was a frequent customer of the restaurant...and he pickpockets for money.

Not that he ever gets caught anyway.

xxx

A week later...

Yusuke felt confident enough with his current level. He visited Ryoma at her house and waited outside her gate. Then when she came home, she was surprised to see him. 'Yusuke...'

'Its been a couple of months, eh?' Yusuke greeted. 'Hey, I wanna test out my training and you're the nearest available sparring buddy.'

'Sure. I want to see if you're also working hard.' said Ryoma. 'Although your physique definitely improved...let's leave at midnight so chances of anyone seeing us are none. Because we'll be using a rather unorthodox way to get to our sparring place.'

'Unorthodox way?' Yusuke blinked. Ryoma merely grinned. '...somehow, I don't think I wanna know...'

'Rest up for midnight. Take a nap if you have to.' Ryoma instructed. 'I can't afford a sparring buddy to fall asleep on me now can we?'

'Sheesh, what's with the secrecy, all we have to do is fight you know.' Yusuke grumbled as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. Ryoma gave him a withering look.

'I have a reputation to keep, jackass. And I'm the female representative of our school in this experimental co-ed club. If I'm seen brawling in broad daylight, I'll be reported to Chuutairen(Sports Association) and I'll be forced to answer awkward questions.' she pointed out. 'If that happens, my school will be affected because of one person. A lot is on the line so we must NOT be seen.'

'Sheesh, it's got that much work on it?' Yusuke blanched out.

'Yes, it does. What about that Kuwabara character? He also coming?' Ryoma asked Yusuke curiously.

'I'll try. He's also trying out your training methods and it somehow ended up a competition as to who gets stronger than the other.' Yusuke snorted. 'Yeah right, he never won against me since we were kids!' Ryoma shook his head at this.

'Who knows, he may very well surprise you.' Ryoma warned him good-naturedly. 'In battles, there's no room for overconfidence when in reality, your opponent may very well kick your ass. Those who are truly strong hide their strengths until the need for it comes, while those who are weak flaunt their power to appear strong. That's a sad reality I learned back when I was a youkai before I became the human Echizen Ryoma.' Ryoma told Yusuke. 'Which one you'll be? Keep your strength a secret, or the idiot who struts like a peacock?'

'Hey, I'm definitely not weak!' Yusuke grunted indignantly.

'Then take my advice and be wise.' Ryoma advised him. 'Tonight at midnight, we'll meet at the grounds of your school. Then we'll go somewhere where we won't be seen. In the meantime, I'll be visiting my other student!' she chirped cheerily as she went into her house, leaving the perplexed delinquent outside her house.

'...she has another student?'

xxx

Morita Hospital...Ryoma visited Yukimura when it turns out that the whole team came for a visit. "Oh crud! I think I'll come later!" and she skiddaddled.

Inside the room...

'Hey Mura-buchou, what's Echizen of Seigaku like?' their youngest player, Kirihara Akaya asked their captain curiously. 'She's been visiting you right?'

'Yes...according to logs, she visited you everyday for a month although now she's a no-show.' Yanagi Renji pointed out.

'Well, that'd be because their club's training changed.' said Yukimura. 'She can't be absent. And because she's a girl, her training is twice as hard so she can keep up with the strength level of boys. I saw that she's wearing lead plates under her wristbands and socks, but I can't tell how heavy and she won't tell me.'

'I have a record of her matches.' Yanagi piped up as he took out two VCDs. 'This one is her match in Fudoumine...and this one is her match against St. Rudolph.' and he took out a portable player from his bag. 'Fudoumine first.'

'Couldn't you just put both matches in one tape?' Yagyuu deadpanned. 'A match takes twenty minutes at best you know. And that hardly dents a CD's space.'

'Well, blame the association I got this from.' Yagyuu sweatdropped as the CD began playing.

/Singles 2, Seigaku's Echizen VS Fudoumine's Ibu!/ the sounds rang out. Including the times when they spoke. Ryoma spoke in her real, feminine voice before reverting back to her 'boy voice' and proudly proclaimed she's a man at heart, much to their amusement.

The team watched the game from all angles...

'Hey, that Ibu guy is not getting a point!' Marui Bunta crowed. 'He can't even score against her!'

'She's known in Seigaku's club as the 'Iron Wall'.' said Yanagi. 'Because of her fleet-footedness, reflexes, and her ability to read habits she could predict where her opponent will hit the ball, enabling her to react properly. She defeated Kikumaru, Inui, Momoshiro and Kaidoh in straight sets, and the only people she lost games to, were Fuji and Tezuka. She was close against Fuji, and lost to Tezuka while scoring a couple games from him.' he explained. Yukimura knew that Ryoma wasn't using her powers in her matches. He asked Botan who showed him Ryoma's Life Diary from Reikai regarding school, but won't show him about her private life. Which means it really was her Tennis-related skills alone that accomplished her feats.

Then came the scene of the shattered handle...which she easily caught, to their astonishment. And she didn't give a damn that she nearly lost her eye either. She just laughed it off. 'Whoa...she nearly lost an eye and she just laughs it off...? Scary girl...' Niou whistled.

'Somehow, that guy caused her arms to go numb for a moment.' Sanada commented. 'But she still kept him from scoring by using body momentum and what power she had left in her grip.'

'Her reflexes are very good...' Yukimura spoke, clearly impressed. 'She grabbed the handle perfectly at the middle of the grip.'

'Actually, that near-accident earned her the respect of the spectators.' Yanagi told them. 'If that were an ordinary person, they could have lost an eye.'

'Hey, play the St. Rudolph part Yanagi-senpai!' Kirihara whined.

'Well, it's much more interesting anyway.' Yanagi shrugged as he took out the Fudoumine tape, and played the St, Rudolph tape. 'Why it's interesting, is because she got angry...for her opponent's sake. Apparently, someone taught Fuji Yuuta the Twist Spin Shot, a technique that can injure his shoulder for life due to his still-developing musculature. The cause of injury would be the posture required for the technique and sternly forbade him to use it.' he explained. 'And of course, he still didn't win a point from her.' he added quickly.

'Well, as for what kind of person she is, she's really interesting.' Niou grinned. 'I got to chat with her before I took her to 'Mura.'

'And?' Jackal asked him curiously while Niou was still grinning like a loon with wiggling eyebrows.

'She speaks and SOUNDS like a boy, even speaking in masculine speech AND wore the boys' uniform...' the rest turned to Yukimura for confirmation who nodded. 'And to her, we're anonymous as she transferred from the states to come here. Then she told me a few interesting things about herself. She despised shopping and other girly affairs to the point that she refused to ask where the salon was to treat her terribly dry beach hair in fear that she won't be going to the salon just for dry hair treatment...her mother would do the whole package. It took me telling her where the damn parlor is for her to go on her own.' he chuckled. 'And I'm sure all of you got my group message warning right? She threw a ball at my head the minute I referred to her as a girl...and she heard me all the way from the Locker Rooms. You can ask the blue guys if you like.'

'OK...we have a girl who thinks she's a man in the wrong body...I'd like to meet this girl!' Kirihara grinned.

'Haha, you won't get the chance.' Yukimura chuckled. 'For training, their club goes somewhere. But she visits every after practice anyway. She grew to like my company somewhat.' he admitted. 'If you want to meet her, visit me. She always does after school and tells me when she can't come...and couldn't this month. She'll be back next month.'

'Awwww!'


	15. Testing her Students

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Testing her students<p>

Yukimura thought Ryoma won't visit for quite a while.

Wrong.

She came when his teammates left. 'Echizen!' Yukimura greeted, a bit happy to see her.

'Yo!' Ryoma greeted as she had a takeout order in hand. 'A week early as tournament VS St. Rudolph's done and over with, I got a lot of free time. Here, present!'

'Arigatou.' Yukimura smiled. 'What is it?'

'Sushi! I bet all the hospital food can get on one's nerves.' Ryoma chuckled as she opened the sushi up and put it on his lap. 'So, how's lessons with Botan?' Yukimura's face fell.

'The basics are horribly boring even if it's a necessity.' Yukimura sighed in complaint. 'I really want to know what I can do and what my powers are!'

'Maa maa...we'll come to that. Botan told me you're Class C now by the time she returned to Reikai and saw your Life Diary, not the D-Class we predicted...good job!' Ryoma praised as Yukimura looked rather proud of himself. 'You have one hell of a will to live because that is the source of Reiki for humans. You might surpass me in terms of Reiki reserves if you keep this up. And if you trained well on your Reiki Control, I will test you before we move to the fun part.' Yukimura thought, "This is it!" excitedly.

'I'll show you basic techniques.' and Ryoma opened the windows. 'First off, Rei gun. Gather a small yet concentrated ball of energy towards your pointing finger. Then release it at will. And your will affects the speed and power of the Rei Gun. This technique is designed for long-range offensive and piercing attacks like a real gun bullet would.' and she demonstrated the Rei Gun technique and Yukimura took note how fast it was. 'Of course, you can make it bigger but that's just a waste of power in one attack alone. Now you try.' Yukimura did the same thing as she did, and his bullet was faster than hers by a little bit.

'Yosh! Basic 1 complete! Next, Reiki manipulation...weapons.' and Ryoma formed a whip, a sword, a hammer, spear, bow and arrow, daggers, and a pair of clubs. 'Now you try. One second per transformation!' Yukimura took a few seconds each weapon.

'Aw crap!'

'Maa maa, you're doing fine. It takes an amateur normally a few hours but you took a few seconds. Almost there! Try and try again until you hit the one-second benchmark! You think youkai will wait for you to finish your weapon transformation? And don't forget about your weapon's properties too, especially the blunt melee weapons and the sword! Now I will test those properties. Whip!' Yukimura created the whip and Ryoma held it in her hands. 'Good. Sword.' Yukimura created a form of katana. Ryoma slid her finger on the edge and she bled.

'H-hey...' Yukimura choked as Ryoma licked the blood off her finger.

'Sharp...you're learning quick.' she said as her wound healed. 'Take note that with Reiki swords, you can cut even steel and concrete like hot knife to butter...that means humans too so be careful.' Yukimura gulped. 'Well, whip and sword's good enough so I know you know what to do with the other weapons, yes?'

'Yeah.'

'Now then, we'll test your will.' Ryoma said as she punched her left arm with her right fist with such force that Yukimura could clearly see a nasty purplish blue bruise forming and getting bigger. 'Now then, use your reiki to heal my bruise to test how good are you with psychic healing. Hurry up, it hurts like hell.' Yukimura twitched as she took her arm.

'Then you shouldn't have punched yourself in the first place!' he moaned as she focused his powers on his hands. 'Moreover, you're a Tennis player and our limbs are our lives!'

'Hey, a comrade could get hurt anytime and this is a mere simulation.' Ryoma drawled. 'Get practicing. Don't worry, I'll heal where you left off if you missed something BUT that is a no-no in the actual field, OK? You have to be thorough in healing.'

'But how do I find out what to look for?'

'Use your mind. Connect your healing reiki with your mind...and use telepathy to 'see' the extent of my injury. You'll see what's wrong, then you fix it.' Yukimura did as told, and healed her arm with focus.

'...can I do this with my nerves, too?' Yukimura wondered aloud. 'I really want to get out of here and...just play.' he sighed.

'We'll have to consult Master Genkai if such a thing is possible...so far, psychic healing is only used for injured tissues and broken bones...healing nerves and stuff that requires surgery requires a helluva lot of medical knowledge, something we both don't have. I only know psychic healing which I passed on to you but not psychic surgery.' Ryoma sighed. 'Sorry.'

'...It's OK. It's just that it's taking so long...the research on my illness because it's so rare.' Yukimura mumbled gloomily. 'And the money needed is almost a million yen. My parents are halfway done now with the money. I really wonder if I'll make it in time for the Nationals or not.'

'When is that?' Ryoma asked him. 'Our goal is the Nationals too but I just hear of it.'

'The Nationals are held every summer. I'm really getting nervous as the date gets closer and closer.' Yukimura chuckled sadly. 'A third consecutive win with everyone...'

'You'll make it.'

'But surgery's chance is 50-50!'

'You'll still make it.' Ryoma reassured him as Yukimura was done healing her bruise. 'Afterall, your will to live is very strong.' she smiled. '50-50 chances doesn't matter in your case any longer.' Yukimura cheered up after hearing that. 'Now that you got the basics, all you have to worry about is being creative.' she said. 'Let's begin on your signature techniques.' THIS, was what Yukimura was waiting for!

'There's one thing...we have to determine if you're a Quest Class like me, or just a plain Reiki user or have another special ability altogether that's not either Reiki nor Quest Class powers.'

'What's a Quest Class power again?' Yukimura asked Ryoma.

'Quest Class powers are humans or demons who can materialize objects...often with special abilities, with their auras. I have my weaponry...I can even create wings,' she showed by creating leather and feathery wings, 'Practically anything as long as it can be materialized. I can't materialize elements though or anything intangible. That's our limit. Now then, meditate again.' Yukimura face-faulted. 'Look into your mind...picture what you are most comfortable with. The power you feel you're most comfortable and natural in using. Once you find it, let me know. We'll also know whether you're a Special Psychic, Reiki User or a Quest Class. We got all time until six o'clock.' Yukimura looked at his desk clock. He had thirty minutes left to go!

'Crap!'

Yukimura set to work in meditation while Ryoma began reading a book. He wanted to know what his power was. "A power that suits me the most." he focused hard on that sentence. He focused hard basing his choices on his personality. He wished strongly on his powers to reveal itself to him.

Minutes passed by...in his mind search until he came to see a shadow of himself wrapped up in aura...able to go through walls...practically anything, and as long as he or his limbs are wrapped in his aura, he can cut anything. Literally and practically. 'Jigentou.' Yukimura spoke at exactly 60 minutes later. Ryoma raised an eyebrow at this.

'Jigentou?' Ryoma croaked in repetition. 'There are many kinds...explain your Jigentou.' she told him.

'I can't exactly explain so might as well show you.' said Yukimura as he picked up his pillow with his left hand, and thrust his other hand in the middle of the pillow. Ryoma observed and when Yukimura pulled his hand out, the pillow was undamaged. 'I would have cut the pillow but I can't answer awkward questions to the housekeeping as to why I have a pillow perfectly cut in the middle...' Ryoma looked thoughtful at this...at the same time, awestruck, disbelief and horror written all over her face in just one expression.

'If what I had in mind is correct...you're practically untouchable...' Ryoma swore as a sweatbead trickled down the side of her face. 'No one can kill you as long your Jigentou is activated to use its defensive mechanism part also used in it's offensive attack by postponing the dimension in which you exist, enabling you to go through matter to create the ultimate blade, at the same time, protecting yourself by becoming intangible. Do you have any idea how great your power is?' Ryoma choked as Yukimura stared in his hands at this. 'You're one lucky bastard!' she exclaimed.

'R-really now?' Yukimura blinked, impressed with how his power turned out.

'I'll have to go to Reikai and look at your Life Diary to see the extent of your Jigentou if it's really limited to just fighting.' Ryoma told him as she opened a portal to Reikai by using her power to distort and bend space. 'Stay put!' and she was gone.

'So I'm like, the ultimate weapon huh? Child of God indeed.' Yukimura snorted. He once envied Ryoma's power to create weapons and even wings to fly, he wanted such a power. Power to protect himself and people he cared for from youkai he'll surely attract due to his...immense level-ups. But hey, his power turned out to be way cooler than hers, and she lampshaded it by calling him a 'lucky bastard'! He felt really lucky he was in the special category with a power Ryoma herself acknowledged as very powerful.

xxx

Reikai...Ryoma had filled Koenma about the information regarding her student. 'So lemme see his Life Diary!' Ryoma egged on as Koenma pulled out a black book, flipped through pages to the latest update and Ryoma looked at the updates. 'Oh hell no way...' she choked as her eyes scanned the pages. 'Looks like I have to train him too about dimensional travels...he can go to either Makai or Reikai by accident if he uses it wrong!'

'You got one hell of a student, Ryoma.' Koenma drawled wryly. 'He can very well be the third Tantei if he's willing to help us out.' Ryoma blinked owlishly at this.

'Whaddya mean third? Don't you mean fifth?'

'Kurama and Hiei are on probation plus community service so it's not exactly they're members.' Koenma deadpanned as Ryoma gave him back Yukimura's diary. 'Kuwabara's a willing volunteer only if Yusuke 'hires him' and only you and Yusuke are officially Tantei. If Yukimura Seiichi's a willing worker, then he'll really be the third.' Koenma explained. 'And this is quite a rare occasion that we get more than one tantei. There's two of you and a future third!' Koenma explained almost happily. 'At this rate, you three can take on the big guns, as soon as Seiichi's out of the hospital. You've done a job well done in training Yusuke albeit indirectly. He somehow ended up sharing your methods with Kuwabara and now the two idiots are competing over who gets stronger first.'

'Humm...looks like I do good as a teacher besides being a thief.' Ryoma chuckled. Koenma also chuckled before going serious.

'Speaking of thief...when will you ever tell Kurama that you're back? His best friend is back?' Koenma asked her as his eyes opened. 'He'll find out sooner or later if some youkai somehow had the power to reveal your true form.' Ryoma took a deep breath and sighed.

'...cowardly reasons aside...Kurama moved on. Moved on with his life. He probably forgot about me since its been five hundred years.' Ryoma told the young prince with a sad smile. 'I intend on keeping it that way.'

'I still say it's a bad idea.' Koenma grumbled. 'I can imagine his reaction now...his best friend right under his nose and all...he'll be really angry, upset and a number of things you know he'll feel.' Ryoma took a deep breath at this.

'...I'll test him.' said Ryoma. 'If he didn't remember...things are better off that way.'

xxx

Back at the Hospital...

'Yukimura, I found a really big problem with your Jigentou.' said Ryoma with a weak, sheepish smile as Yukimura braced himself for whatever the bad news was. 'Apparently, you can do more than being a ghost and the sharpest blade in the damn planet...you can also open portals to Reikai and Makai. I have to teach you how and what the two worlds look like so you don't accidentally go to either world. Reikai's OK as long as you don't fall off the footpaths...but in Makai...good luck surviving.' she chuckled wryly. 'So until you're out of the hospital, we'll be sealing your Jigentou, OK?'

'I suppose...it's not everyday I can use my power to go to Makai either.' Yukimura chuckled weakly.

'Well, for now, focus with the basics...increasing your rei power and your skill level in reiki control. Once you're out of the hospital, we'll focus on your combat skills and the Jigentou every after Tennis Training with your school. I'll pick you up.' Yukimura sputtered incredulously at this.

'But you live in Tokyo and my school is all the way to Kanagawa!' Yukimura choked with wide eyes as Ryoma laughed his worries off.

'No problem! I can simply use my abilities to avoid traffic if you get the drift!' Ryoma grinned. 'Now then, I have two more dunderheads to tend to.' she said as she stretched to the point Yukimura could hear her joints pop.

'Eh? You got other students besides me?' Yukimura crowed out and somehow...he felt...jealous(?) that he wasn't her only student.

'Yeah...Yusuke was a newbie thrust into a dangerous job and his fighting expertise is that of a brawler ever since his revival from Death...and his rival, delinquent no.2 of Sarayashiki Kuwabara fares no better. He was wielding his Reiken like he was trying to hit a pinata without a blindfold and still failing I decided to fix that. But unlike you who received direct training from me, I had to leave them a to-do list on paper and do the math.' Ryoma snorted. 'Can you imagine what Chuutairen will think if I'm seen with the two famous delinquents of Tokyo? Seigaku will have a bad reputation because of me so I can't exactly hang out with them.'

'Oh...'

'And this midnight, I'll test their progress so I also have to get going. Back to basics with you until surgery's done!' and Ryoma left him to go home.

Yukimura decided he had the better deal afterall. He was taught directly by Ryoma and got her time! His smile soon faded when he realized one thing...she was on yobisute(first-name basis) with Urameshi Yusuke, and they've known each other for a month now! How come _they're_ not on yobisute...?

He was a proper, model student, prodigy and with a good reputation while she deals with delinquents! Shouldn't she be on yobisute with him and not them?

xxx

Hours later, at Midnight...Ryoma was distances away from Kurama's house way beyond detection...and she created her trademark chained sickles, and attached a materialized pendant, before flinging it to Kurama's window...and it struck his door. She watched Kurama frantically get up from his bed, open the lights and see her little present, before she left.

xxx

In his bedroom...

After sensing the intruder come by so quick and got into his bedroom, Kurama opened his bedside lamp to see a sight he never thought he'd never see ever again. Stuck by his door, was a sickle with a thin, silver chain and wrapped around the handle, was a pendant.

'...it can't be...or who's the sick bastard sick enough to pull this prank on me?' Kurama growled as he went to grab the sickle but the sickle emitted a youki signature he knew too well. 'No way...this can't be true!' he choked despairingly as he held the sickles closer. 'For real...?'

Needless to say, Kurama didn't get any sleep that night. The rest of his hours were spent looking at the weapon as if in a trance, while his mind whirled with possibilities. Then came the memories of the Mirror of Forlorn Hope incident...and him remarking about 'there's always reincarnation' if he died.

Could Kuronue have come back too?

His mind...memories and feelings ran amuck.

xxx

Sarayashiki High School...

'Jeez! Does it have to be MIDNIGHT?' Kuwabara complained. 'I could really use the beauty sleep!'

'Idiot! She's famous in Japan regarding sports!' Yusuke grunted. 'She can't be seen with us!'

'And why not?'

'Do I need to explain why you idiot? What are we? That's enough explanation!' Yusuke grunted. 'Use your thrice-damned brains if you had any!'

'Now now, no need to yell, you'll wake up the neighbors.' Ryoma chuckled as she arrived...with her head in a ski mask with eye holes and mouth hole cut out. The two boys sweatdropped at her attire. black tank top, trousers and combat boots. 'Going to lookout point is too troublesome...so I took the trouble of creating an illusion barrier using paper wards surrounding the whole school. We can have fun here.'

'Nanda, you could've thought of that sooner.' Yusuke deadpanned. 'So who's first?'

'Kuwabara, you're up. Pure sparring only. No flashy reiki techniques as we don't want collateral damages.' Ryoma reminded them sternly. 'Both of us are limited to only Reiki Channeling Augmentation.'

'Yosh!' Kuwabara grinned as he cracked his knuckles. 'Let's get to business!' after getting in their fighting stances...they then lunged at each other in all-out brawls although Kuwabara was holding back.

'Why the hell are you holding back?' Ryoma barked demandingly.

'You're a girl! Gentlemen don't hit girls!' Kuwabara choked out as that earned him a PAINFUL kick in the abdomen. 'Guaaargh!'

'You idiot! In fights, there's no such thing as mercy even to girls! In battles, it's gender-neutrality or age neutrality!' Ryoma yelled. 'That pathetic mindset of yours will get you killed as enemies will go as far as use even their genders as a weapon! Be gentle to an enemy girl or kid and you die brat! This is the reality of battles! Yusuke, you're up!'

'I ain't like him!' Yusuke grinned as he somewhat felt sorry for Kuwabara who got a painful kick. The guy was still in fetal position from the pack of pain she caused him.

'Good to know. Looks like you'll live a long life.' Ryoma smirked as the two went in for an all-out brawl. As Ryoma slowly increased her level of fighting, so did Yusuke, enabling her to test his limits. His fighting skills improved but his timing, reaction and reflexes were still mada mada and he still got beaten by her.

'Humm...your fighting is good but your reaction and timing is still mada mada.' Ryoma commented. 'Due to that, you'll get hurt a lot. If you're gonna play hooky anyway, visit your master and have her spar with you. That's a more productive way to skip school.'

'Geh! I have to deal with her again?' Yusuke griped out with a grimace. Genkai, was a merciless old biddy who made him do things that put Roman Era Torture to shame!

'You have to. I have no free time as my schedules are booked and due to my social life, I got nosy friends.' Ryoma drawled. 'Kurama's also busy unless you find Hiei who definitely had a lot of free time...'

xxx

Next day...it was back to business with Ryoma. Training with her club, and training Yukimura while at home, she trains herself to increase her powers. However, today was an exception. She had gone to Meiou to flare her youki for Kurama to detect. She left behind clones of her pendant for him to find, pick up, and follow the trail.

'Kuronue...!' Kurama swore as he followed the pendant trails, until he was led to the very riverbank by Tokonosu river, to the warehouse where they first defeated Hiei. "He's here." he thought as he gulped before entering the warehouse. Inside, was a figure shrouded in a youki he knew so well. 'Kuronue...is that...you?' he groped around for the lights switch. Upon opening the lights, to his surprise, he saw Kuronue's new reincarnated identity staring right back at him.

It was none other than Ryoma. 'Ryoma? You're...Kuronue...?' Kurama sputtered as Ryoma grinned.

'I'm glad you still remembered after 500-something years...' Ryoma chuckled. 'I thought you forgot about li'l ol' me.'

'How can I forget...?' Kurama choked as he remembered his old partner's last moments. 'If you were Ryoma, why did you hide this from me? We could have...!' he cried indignantly but Ryoma raised one of her hands to silence him.

'Well...two personalities are in conflict...Ryoma's personality and memories...and Kuronue's.' Ryoma told him. 'We have been at odds since my first awakening when this body was seven years old. She has been dreaming of our times together...and her awakening got stronger when her family moved from America to Japan, where you were. And of course, this country is more involved with Reikai and Makai so with all that power in the air, her dreams about us got stronger. She gained my Quest Class powers although she uses it differently from me. Me who loved my sickles, she makes anything else.' she chuckled. 'Versatile fighter, this girl.' she said as she jabbed at her chest using her thumb.

'Then when Koenma found us out, he told us that for us to get along, we should merge as one single entity within one body or we'll be in conflict forever...and so we merged quite nicely. And for Ryoma to stay human in body, Koenma gave her these Energy Filter Bracelets...to convert our youki into reiki. Ryoma wanted to stay human afterall...until she reaches adulthood. She definitely didn't want to stay stuck a midget for a couple hundred years.' Ryoma laughed. 'Then again, so do I. I want this body to grow up into adulthood before we go and have fun. Ryoma shares our memories...so just treat her as you would me. She'll be confused with our feelings but she'll feel naturally attached to you because of our bond as best friends. Our merging will soon be complete...and I can no longer talk to you separately like this anymore either. Hurt Ryoma and I'll kick your ass.' and Ryoma put back on her Filter Bracelets. 'Kuronue's sharp eyes disappeared, replaced by Ryoma's softer, bigger eyes.

'...Ryo...ma?' Kurama croaked out as Ryoma merely nodded at him. 'You knew about this?'

'Well yeah.' Ryoma shrugged while avoiding his gaze. 'It's a hard life, even if we get along...and Kuronue's been debating because he wonders whether you forgot about him or not...and the moron decided to be brave at the last minute...the last time he can talk to you directly.' she told him. 'He saw that you moved on with new partners...and he didn't want to butt in into your life any longer by telling him he's here and he's me.'

'I...I never got the chance to tell him I'm sorry!' Kurama burst out in tears. 'I could have saved him that night but he insisted on dying and made me run alone!'

'Because if you did, you'll also be caught and die with him.' Ryoma told him as she walked towards him...and past him. 'He cares more for you than his own life. You were the only person he loved...and truly considered a friend.' Kurama stiffened at her words. 'You think he'd be happy if you went down with him?'

'I would have preferred death with him and for us to reincarnate together.' Kurama told her bitterly. 'And now he left me again...'

'Not exactly...we merged.' Ryoma told him. 'Our memories mixed up...his experiences are now mine. A bit confusing though but along with memories...came feelings as well. I am also Kuronue now. Please see me as him as well. After 'Ryoma's death, Kuronue will come back again after 500 years...and so on...so forth. His will is powerful.' and she left Kurama...but before she could leave, Kurama pulled her back into a tight embrace.

'You, are one, big, idiot.' Kurama whispered in her left ear. 'I hope he hears this.'

'He did and so did I. We are now one person and one entity afterall.' Ryoma told him softly as she hugged him back. 'We're sorry.'


	16. Two Friends

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Two Friends<p>

By the river...

The two thieves stayed together in awkward silence...then Kurama broke the ice. 'Ryoma...things won't change between us, right?' he asked Ryoma who smiled awkwardly.

'Well...things should be the same...I don't think I changed much.' said Ryoma. 'But you changed a lot.' she said. 'You smiled not a smirk...and you learned how to treasure important things to you...and you cried when I died. Back then you had a heart of ice even when we became best friends.'

'...I guess I changed a lot indeed.' Kurama smiled. 'I had been alone...even when I led a band of thieves before we met I was still alone. I never had real friends in that gang. They only came to me for the fear I instill, respect I gained and power I wielded. But they wait for the opportunity they can kill me and gain infamy. I had no one until we met...and you were the first person who made an effort in caring for me.'

'Hey, I was lonely and I wanted a companion you know...and you're the first person who approached me even if it's because we're both thieves.' Ryoma reminded him. 'That was five millennia ago I think.'

'Yeah, it's been that long.' Kurama chuckled. 'How about for old time's sake...we rob or whatever?' he smiled as Ryoma's jaws dropped.

'Oy oy, you're on probation!' she sputtered out.

'As long as we don't hurt humans it's fine.'

Needless to say, the pair robbed a bank belonging to the Atobe Family that night together, and hid the money somewhere. For the next few...years, they knew they had quite the spending money as they split 600 million equally in half for themselves. They weren't exactly that...spend-y.

xxx

To the Seigaku Regulars...

Kurama became a usual visitor to Seigaku whenever they weren't at sports complexes..further cementing Momoshiro's theory that they were a couple as when Kurama comes, Ryoma spends time with him more than she does her teammates...which the two friends keep on denying but the way they spend time when it's not Ryoma's turn to practice says another thing entirely.

'Nee Minamino-san...you two look pretty close.' Fuji chuckled as Ryoma had a practice match with Tezuka.

'Well, we're best friends...it's natural that we're pretty close.' Kurama pointed out.

'Haha, sou ne but the whole club thinks otherwise. The others aren't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed.' Fuji smiled. 'Oishi started up the Kyodai Ryodan should Ryoma-chan have a boyfriend.' Kurama sputtered into his drink at this. 'Ryoma-chan's our youngest member and the only girl...she's like the team baby if you get the drift...'

'Sigh...well, if uh...our relationship DID go to the next level...what will you guys do?' Kurama asked Fuji who began thinking in a thoughtful pose.

'Our most minimum requirement would be that you defeat all of us eight older Regulars in straight sets without losing even a point in one day, then you have to go through her father next. We heard from sensei all reason goes out the window regarding Ryoma-chan and a potential suitor.'

Kurama sighed.

'Oh yes, how about a game?' Fuji suggested. 'I'm sure you know the rules by now since you've been watching us for a month now.'

'Well yes...' Kurama blinked.

'Tomorrow.' said Fuji. 'You don't have clothes to change into and Ryoma-chan can just lend you one of her spare rackets.' he said. 'But first...how about we do something about the scouts?' he deadpanned. 'We've been having them lately.' he said as some guys from other schools were taking photos of their club.

'Hummm...shall we?' Kurama asked him with a glint in his eyes.

'We shall.' and the two geniuses worked together to drive away the scouts...in an often humiliating fashion, earning them the respect and...fear from the whole club. They had no idea that Fuji and Kurama can be SCARY.

'Mercy forbid, Fuji and Minamino-san teamed up to get the scouts outta here.' Kawamura chuckled as one by one, the scouts ran away, screaming.

'It's OK, they're distracting and annoying anyway.' said Kaidoh gruffly.

xxx

At Dismissal...

'So Ryoma, we're visiting your student next?' Kurama asked Ryoma.

'Sou da. Yukimura Seiichi, Tennis Captain of Rikkaidai Fuzoku...and even Tezuka-buchou acknowledged that he's the strongest Middle-schooler. He's hospitalized here in Tokyo because he had Guillain Barre Syndrome. Sometimes his nerves don't work and sometimes it does.' Ryoma told him. 'His parents are earning for the surgery and the money he needs to pay his doctor...from America.' she deadpanned. 'He also has potent Reiki considering he saw us use the Mirror.' Kurama blanched at this. 'So I trained him in increasing his Reiki and his control skills in it. But due to the situation, I can't train him yet in combat.' she grunted. 'So I had him increase his reserves and control before I buy him a Chinese Martial Arts tape to study so when he DOES get out of hospital, I can spar with him to train his reaction and timing skills as well as strategy under combat pressure.'

'So he's like Yusuke and Kuwabara?' Kurama asked Ryoma who sweatdropped.

'Er...he's quite special.' Ryoma coughed. 'His special ability is the Jigentou. His aura enables him to use a special barrier that allows him to pass through and destroy any object...that and he has the ability to open portals to dimensions but due to risks, we sealed it away for the time being.'

'Understandable.'

'Want to meet him at least once? After we buy a tape of course.' Ryoma grinned.

'And what style do you want him to learn exactly?'

'Something that suits his physique and the Jigentou at the same time and we'll do a little research...his body is graceful and soft, implying good reflexes and flexibility.' Ryoma commented. 'It'll be quite hard...'

'Heee...'

xxx

A week later...Morita Hospital...

'Yukimura!' Ryoma greeted with Kurama in tow.

'Echizen!' Yukimura called out happily then his face slightly fell when he saw Kurama. He recognized the redhead from the 'rooftop incident'. 'He...'

'He's a colleague now, don't worry.' said Ryoma as they sat on the chair. Yukimura thought by 'colleague', Kurama was now a Reikai Tantei like herself. 'Yukimura, let out your power. I want to see your level to see if you're practicing or not.' she instructed as Yukimura did so. He closed his eyes and focused on releasing his reiki. His reiki was soft and felt to the touch, yet very condensed. Ryoma looked very pleased. 'I'm glad you're working hard with a good dose of self-initiative.' Kurama took note, that the effeminate young man basked in the praise. 'Time for part 3.'

'Part 3?' Yukimura blinked as Ryoma took out three tapes.

'These are fighting styles that I believed suited you. You are to study and memorise each move, then you choose the one you like best.' she said as she handed Yukimura three tapes-Taikyokuken, Hikaken, and Kickboxing. 'And of course, you can create your own style based from these three if you like. Copy-paste is overrated, being original is unique and unique fighters are often handled with care, due to unpredictability.'

'Oh...then what about...those two?' Yukimura asked her with a grimaced smile as he took the tapes from her.

'Ah my other students? Well they're pretty comfortable with street fighting and are pretty good at it, being thugs for six years.' Yukimura sweatdropped. 'They'll feel weird if I made them learn a whole new style they're unfamiliar with.' Ryoma snorted. 'Practice when your limbs feel fine but stop to a halt if you feel your 'numbness' kicking in, OK?'

'Hai.' said Yukimura before looking at Kurama. 'Ano...'

'Oh, why am I here?' Kurama chuckled. Ryoma told him that Yukimura saw them using the mirror and freaked out with worry for her until she made things clear. 'Ryoma wanted me to meet her protegee...'

'Ojamashimasu!' came boisterous greetings from some of the vocal members of the Rikkaidai Team, startling the three of them.

'Ah...she's here.' Niou blinked before grinning. 'Yo, Ryoma-ch...eek!' he cried as he dodged a ball thrown at him, which wheezed by in impressive speeds but dodged by Sanada and Yanagi who were behind him, bounced off the wall at the corridor outside and whacked Niou at the back of his head. 'Yeouch! Alright alright, no girl-suffixes! Geez!' he chuckled as he raised his arms in surrender as Ryoma took out two more balls with a warning glare.

'Now now, he can be your target dummy later but for now, let's get along, OK?' Yukimura chuckled in amusement as it had gotten quite, rowdy in the room...even with a high school senpai along.

'So Minamino-san, what's your school like?' Kirihara asked him. 'They gotta be crazy to duke out pink uniforms for boys.' he commented as he eyed Kurama's dark pink uniform, earning him a whack from his vice-captain. 'Ouch!'

'Well, it's a school I'm sure you guys wouldn't want to join.' Kurama chuckled. 'It's a pure academics school focusing only on academics and cultural clubs. No sports clubs whatsoever. I just went there out of convenience...it's near my house and I regretted it quickly enough.' he admitted. 'It's boring.'

xxx

'You sure are friends with tons of boys.' Kurama commented as Kurama took her home. Any appropriate make friend would take their female friend home.

'It's got to do with having a lot in common.' Ryoma smirked. 'Fat chance of me having female friends, we don't got shit in common. And you better get ready, I heard Fuji-senpai challenge you.'

'Hai hai...but I'm no expert so I can do basics at best.' Kurama smiled. 'But when it comes to speed and strength even without THAT, I won't lose.'


	17. Still more Tennis

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Still more Tennis<p>

Next day...at Seigaku...

'Hey, why're they running around the courts again?' Kurama asked Inui as the entire club...was running laps.

'Well, I investigated Ginka Gakuen and I found their stamina training discipline strict...which we could also use.' said Inui. 'Even if we train in Sports Complexes too, we must not forget the good ole basics.' he reasoned.

'That's true.' Kurama smiled as Inui called out, 'The drinks are on the house!' the Regulars and some others drank deliciously cold, fruit-flavored sports drinks.

'That was a really good idea providing sports drinks for this training!' Oishi chimed happily as his doubles partner chirped, 'Finish re-charging!' then Inui put in red drinks on the table, which those who lagged behind took...and they all screamed agonizing screams of anguish, causing those still-running to look behind.

'Geh? Don't tell me...' Momoshiro choked in dread.

'You powered up that thing?' Ryoma yelped in horror.

'Pick up the pace!' Kikumaru wailed. 'We must absolutely never drink that!' and they ran as if a youkai was right behind them.

Well...Kurama, a youkai, IS behind them. Kurama chuckled at the panic instilled in even his best friend who also feared Inui's drinks. During the days he was here, he was familiar with the bespectacled boy's feared penalty drinks that was said to taste so horrible one would puke or faint.

'Penal...Tea...' Inui spoke as Kurama sweatdropped at the pun. 'Anyone who spends more than one minute at one lap must drink this!'

'WAAAAAHHHHH!'

Panic and horror washed over the whole club. Well...even with sheer bull-headedness, the non-regulars began falling in ones, twos or in groups...a cacophony of dying moans just spurred the surviving Regulars on after about thirty more laps.

'Man, they're amazing...they can still keep running and lead plates are tied to their legs!'

'It's the last round!' Inui cried. 'The loser shall drink this Special Veggie Juice...BEER MUG deluxe!' and he held out a beer mug of the vile concoction.

The leadng two, Momoshiro and Kaidoh began bickering at who gets first.

'Yeesh, it's hard to squeeze in because of their build...' Fuji sighed. Ryoma spied a racker lying on the ground ahead of her. She grinned, grabbed it and gave it to Kawamura.

'Here Taka-san, racket.' Kawamura took it and his Burning personality took over.

'OUTTA MY WAY! BURNING!' Kawamura yelled in gratuitous english as he broke through Momoshiro and Kaidoh.

'DON'T YOU DARE RUN BEYOND US!' they yelled as they each grabbed Kawamura's shoulders. Kikumaru just hopped over them.

'HAHA! I won't drink that poisonous liquid!' Kikumaru jeered as he got ahead of them.

'Hmmm...why does everyone put so much effort? That drink tastes good.' Fuji smiled. 'Why don't you try it, Tezuka?'

'No thanks!' Tezuka ground out. He accidentally drank the damn thing once when Inui's new regimen started right after the Intra Rankings, a day after Ryoma joined. It was so horribly disgusting but as a captain and Seigaku's current pillar, he cannot show weakness and 'die'. So he just pretended nothing was going on and endured and made a martyr out of his poor taste buds and stomach.

Once he got home, he brushed his teeth, the roof of his mouth and tongue like a man possessed, and gargled Listerine...his father's strongest brand, and drank copious amounts of orange juice to get rid of the sensation of Inui Juice off his throat. Yep, he had gone to the extremes at home.

"Humm...how about I make buchou drink it for a change?" Ryoma smirked sadistically as she ran on ahead while appearing 'struggling'.

'Ahh! Hime-chan no fair!' Kikumaru wailed.

'So says the one who hopped over Taka-san!' Ryoma snarked. 'Sorry but I'm gonna win this one!' she taunted teasingly, causing her teammates to gawk in horror.

'HIME-CHAN/ECHIZEN!'

'Grrr! Wait up!' Momoshiro and Kaidoh yelled but Ryoma...was the first to finish.

'Sorry guys, but you know what awaits you...' Inui loomed over the guys to their horror.

'GYAAA!'

'WE'RE GONNA HAUNT YOU ECHIZEN!' Kikumaru, Momo and Kaidoh yelled while 'dying' from Inui's juice.

'I'M GONNA DIE!' Kawamura choked out.

'Echizen you oni!' Oishi wailed.

Tezuka twitched before chugging down his punishment...and stayed strong.

'Ahhh...delicious as usual, Inui.' Fuji smiled as Tezuka popped a menthol candy into his mouth without anyone noticing.

After those hellish laps, they all had practice matches despite their drained staminas. Kurama felt sorry for the poor saps but he knew he needed some training himself. His current self had lousy stamina and all...maybe he should join them sometime? Some matches occurred and the most watched one was Fuji VS Ryoma as Fuji was the noted club Genius and Ryoma the super freshman.

They played even while it was raining, earning them both an earful from Ryuzaki.

xxx

'You look like you enjoyed yourself with your senpai, Ryoma.' Kurama smiled as he walked her home.

'Heh, Fuji-senpai is one of the toughest opponents in Tokyo.' Ryoma grinned. 'He's highly respected by all middle schoolers in Japan and playing someone like him is a rare opportunity.' she then sighed. 'Ah~! That darn old lady for stopping us just when it got fun.' she grumbled.

'Maa maa...she's right though...playing on a slippery court is just asking for trouble.' Kurama reasoned. 'Both of you might slip and fall in a bad way. You'll be fine since you're you but Fuji-kun is another matter.'

'Humm...sou ne...' Ryoma sighed. 'Oh yeah Kurama, I heard Fuji-senpai challenge you some days ago.'

'Well, we were supposed to play earlier but Inui-kun proposed that Marathon Training.' Kurama pointed out. 'So another day it is.'

'Don't underestimate that guy...he's the only person who could do the impossible with Tennis. You can only do the basics right now and I'm also worried about your stamina.' Ryoma frowned. 'Will you be OK tomorrow?'

'Haha, heki heki!'

xxx

The Hospital...

Yukimura took to practicing Taikyokuken while watching the video and that's how his friends found him. 'Ara Yukimura! What'cha doing?' Marui Bunta piped up as thry brought him presents.

'Oh, just making sure my muscles don't rot.' said Yukimura while continuing his practice. 'Ryoma-chan gave me martial arts DVDs.'

'Heee...but it's so slow though...' Kirihara commented. 'My impression on Martial Arts is the Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee sorta thing.'

'Well, Seiichi's doing Taikyokuken. It's original purpose is exercise. Even seniors and kids in China do it for fitness training.' Yanagi told him. 'Not all Martial Arts are always action. But Seiichi, are you OK to be doing this sort of thing?'

'Well, it's fine as long as I stop when I sense my numbness coming back again, so I'll be fine.' Yukimura reassured his friends. 'Sore ori, how's the club?'


	18. The Child of God's Safety

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>The Child of God's Safety<p>

The Hospital that weekend...

'Yo!' Yukimura got startled in his training, when Ryoma snuck up on him.

'Uwaa! Don't do that!' Yukimura cried in embarrassment as Ryoma laughed it off.

'Ahahaha...maa maa, I came to see if you're keeping up your training.' Ryoma greeted. 'Are you?'

'Yes. I'm not about to let my muscles rot here you know.' Yukimura snorted as he paused the tape to sit down. 'I might return weak to the courts, something I absolutely will not allow.'

'That's the spirit. If only my two others were just as hardworking and determined as you, then I wouldn't have to clean up their shit so much in regards to dealing with youkai.' Ryoma sighed. 'Faces of thugs but completely helpless.' she grumbled as she shook her head.

'Well...they ARE quite famous...for being the worst delinquents.' Yukimura deadpanned. 'Every school knows their name as every school's delinquents are that determined to kick their ass.'

'Just try kicking a Reikai Tantei's ass, they don't stand a chance.' Ryoma snorted. 'Having Reiki...sometimes augments us physically. Even more so if we do it on purpose which is why I'm wearing limiters as I want fair play.' she said as she showed him her bracelets.

'Reiki amplifies our strength...huh?' Yukimura muttered with a frown. 'I want to win on my own merits too. I want my third Nationals Tournament to be won using my own power.'

'Ma, when you get out of the hospital, I'll see to getting you limiters. Right now, you need everything to survive that surgery when your parents manage to find that Guillain Barre expert.'

'Sou da ne...the greater my Reiki, the greater my will to live.' Yukimura smiled ruefully. 'I'll definitely survive this.' he swore as he clenched his fists. 'I'll survive this!'

'That's the spirit.' Ryoma smiled as she patted his back. 'Now then, show me...wait!' Ryoma gasped as she sensed something. Yukimura also sensed foreign presences far from them. 'Compress your power and your presence, quickly!' she cried as they suppressed their power into their bodies.

'Er what was that all about?' Yukimura croaked as they suppressed their powers.

'In a few months time, the Ankoku Bujutsukai will be held. It's a tournament held every fifty years here in Ningenkai and youkai participate in it, as well as select five or six chosen humans handpicked by the committee. And they can't find out about you right now, you're in no state to fight!' Ryoma hissed as she warily looked out the window. 'In three months...it'll begin. So I guess no reiki training and keep your powers compressed, alright?' she asked him worriedly. Yukimura can only nod.

'Er...what's this tournament entail?' Yukimura croaked.

'Well, bloody gladiator battles, aim to end your opponent's life as bloody as possible to please the bloodthirsty masses. The human guests located are often sacrificial lambs, if they weren't strong enough.' Ryoma told him softly. 'You are strong but you can't fight right now. At your state, you'll be youkai food.' Yukimura paled. Damn his stupid disease!

'Eep...w-will you stay over for those three months?' Yukimura choked. 'I'm not sure about this! What if my numbness kicked in and they came?' he choked in panic.

'That is...something to worry about.' Ryoma swore fretfully. 'I'll go to Reikai to find a way around this.'

xxx

Reikai...

'So they began moving but you fear your student will be picked...and he's ill with Guillain Barre.' Koenma mused.

'I'm worried about this. We barely managed to evade their senses.' Ryoma sighed. 'I can't let him be chucked to the slaughterhouse! If there's no item, what about a barrier? Or someone who can guard him 24/7?'

'Well...I can think up of precautions.' said Koenma. 'First off will be the limiters. Second a kekkai and third, will be Yukimura making more effort to suppress his power to non-existent levels.' Koenma told Ryoma. 'I trust you know how to make barriers?'

'Of course.' Ryoma huffed.

'Good. Now then, we'll proceed with the precautions but what about you? Will you be joining if discovered?' Koenma asked her.

'Hell no! My schedule's fully booked!' Ryoma grunted. 'I'll come if ONLY needed such as the need for extra members or whatever as long as I'm vacant on that day. The people around me are sharp and nosy!'

xxx

Back at the hospital...

Yukimura watched as Ryoma wrote ofuda using HER OWN BLOOD and a brush, and began putting them in places to create a kekkai. 'Echizen, why did you make a kekkai?'

'It's no ordinary kekkai...it's a kekkai designed to hide what's the target for protection within it.' Ryoma explained to him. 'I'll also make a barrier around the areas you usually go and do NOT go beyond the kekkai OK?' It's hiding your presence. And no, ordinary humans can't see the ofuda I put up unless they're also psychic. And in Japan, only 1 percent of the country's population are gifted with this power.' she said.

'But WHY write the ofuda in your blood and not ink?' Yukimura croaked as Ryoma looked a tad woozy.

'Because the writer's blood is the source of the ofuda's power.' Ryoma sighed wearily. 'Ugh, I feel dizzy...' she swooned on the couch in Yukimura's room.

'...I think you should sleep off that blood loss...' Yukimura said wryly. 'You made twenty ofudas I wonder how you'll survive practice on monday.'

'Heh, all I need is one day of rest.' Ryoma scoffed. 'I'll be fine. I've been putting up with this crap since I awoke my powers when I was seven. I had my fair share of kills.' Yukimura went pale at this. 'Try being attacked on a daily basis, forcing you to kill youkai every damn day until it's an everyday routine.' she sighed as she rested her head on an armrest. 'It's a fate you'll soon have to put up with if you want to stay alive or protect your family and friends you know.'

'Echizen...' Yukimura was disturbed that his mentor started her killing career since she was elementary in a bid to survive. Yes it was a necessity but a horrible thing to happen...and THEY'RE JUST KIDS!

xxx

Next day...

Ryoma got a phone call for assistance in Honetdale...just that she has to make Yusuke and Kuwabara do all the work and she is to save their asses if they couldn't fight a tougher opponent. And that she is to keep Hiei from killing a human as this time, a human kidnapped and made a money machine out of his missing twin sister. And in Reikai Laws, youkai are NOT allowed to kill humans. That includes they-who-reincarnated. Her and Kurama. If Hiei kills this human, however well-deserved, he'll be in for jail.

However, there are other ways to skin a cat.

Upon arriving in Honetdale...she, under a fully-covered ninja disguise, broke the necks of the bodyguards, ensuring them a slow death on their own, thus she won't be under fire for 'killing them', and dislocated Tarukane's joints and knocked him out cold.

'A-ano...' Yukina squeaked nervously. 'Who are you?'

'...a helper.' Ryoma spoke in her real voice to reassure Yukina. 'And to make sure your older brother does not kill a human...or he'll be in for jail for a century in Reikai, even if these scum deserve a painful death in his hands.' Yukina gasped at this.

'M-my brother? Where is he?' Yukina cried hopefully.

'He's on his way. Spiky black hair with a white starburst, red eyes and wears a black cloak with a white scarf. Like this.' Ryoma materialized an effigy of Hiei and Yukina looked at the image of the boy. 'His name is Hiei. He's pretty socially awkward, so handle him with care.'

'Hiei-niisan...is it.' Yukina smiled softly. Then she looked up to see Ryoma gone. 'A-are?' she squeaked as she looked around. 'She's gone!'

xxx

Ryoma watched over Kuwabara and Yusuke who fought a nearly nine-foot tall muscular man armed with a sword, and they have had to team up to defeat him. Granted, the guy had...powerful muscles but they managed somehow. 'Humm...not bad this time around.' and she disappeared.


	19. A story to tell

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>A story to tell<p>

'Echizen, how did your mission go?' Yukimura asked Ryoma who returned to the hospital.

'Well, I'm just a shadow to ensure nobody dies. But I'll tell you the gist of it.' Ryoma told him as she told him about an incurably corrupt businessman who had strong connections to the Black Market and youkai, and how he had enslaved a Koorime and force her to cry her priceless tear gems...and said gems fetch 100 million yen in the Black Market in just one pearl alone. She was tortured everyday for who knows how many years till Reikai found her, so she would cry. That and she had to ensure no human death by youkai-her twin brother who's been looking for her for years-would happen.

'Sou ka...' Yukimura muttered.

'Bastards with greed for money pop up every now and then.' Ryoma told him airily. 'They more than deserve to die but...as Reikai Tantei, we aren't allowed to kill either unless we had no choice to. You're a Tantei candidate as well but due to our busy schedules and we are surrounded by incredibly sharp people, as well as our responsibilities, we will hardly be called. If we ever were, it were to be a dire situation. That's the deal I made with Koenma. Yusuke and Kuwabara who skip school more than they attend, and Kurama who had no club had plenty of free time so they're often on the case actively.'

'Then what do we do incase our friends and family find out about our powers?' Yukimura asked her nervously.

'...explain calmly and show proof, I suppose.' Ryoma sighed as she materialized a few colored balls and began juggling them with great reflexibility and dexterity. 'And how they react...is up to them. Whether they accept...envy or reject us...is up to them. There are some humans who have open minds...some humans who will envy our so-called cool powers while unaware of the horrors we face just by simply possessing them...or reject us in fear that we are youkai magnets.' Ryoma explained calmly. 'In the event that happens, I was prepared to disappear and seek refuge elsewhere or in Makai. Yes, I am human but I will fit in there because in Makai, power is what matters as because as long as you have power, you survive. Some youkai also respect powerful humans and see them as worthy rivals to compete with. It's the way they live.'

'Is that the fate that awaits us if everyone rejected us...?' Yukimura whispered in distraught.

'I'm afraid so. Power...can do many great things. Both good and bad. And it can be either accepted or feared.' Ryoma told him softly...in her real voice. Yukimura knew that if she ever spoke in her real voice...it means she's serious. And a great weight suddenly fell on his shoulders. 'What will you do if you were rejected, Yukimura?'

'I...I'm not prepared for a scenario like that just yet.' Yukimura choked in dread as he shook. 'Re...jection...? W-what will you do if you were rejected?' he cried in fear as his mentor gave him a sad smile.

'I will simply live for myself...until the day I find acceptance and home with people who offered me their hand and took me in. And accepted me the way I am. If that dreadful day came to you, find me. We will find people like us who will accept us. That's all we can do. If humans hate or fear us...we will go to Makai and seek refuge there. It'll be a harsh life but we'll be quite at home there.'

xxx

After Ryoma left him that night, Yukimura pondered about his future. And the question of will he be accepted, feared or rejected haunts and frightens him, should his family and friends discover his powers.

Ryoma was well-prepared for that scenario as she intends to just disappear and continue living but he never expected this scenario either. He was never prepared for a scenario like that but she was. She was prepared to leave everything behind and start over.

Could he do that?

There were times he envied her. The first were her cool powers of being Quest Class...and now, how strong and prepared she was and could calmly accept her fate. Then again, she had years to prepare and had long accepted various scenarios of come-what-mays. But he on the other hand...he was used to his comfortable life, having been wealthy-but not as wealthy as Atobe mind you, just that his parents had very high-paying jobs-. He was never prepared for a harsh life.

Could he do it?

xxx

Back at home...

'Ryoma-chan, you're pretty late!' her mother scolded her as Ryoma came home at eight. 'Sometimes you just come home to sleep now!' she pouted. Ryoma chuckled before snorting.

'Sorry mother.' at home was also the only times Ryoma speaks in her real voice...and in that female-plus-formal talk she was raised with since childhood. 'It's just that my little charge easily gets lonely even if he was older than I am.' Ryoma explained as she came to the dining room for dinner.

'Well, it's good to be with a friend once in a while but don't forget to go home too bishoujo.' Nanjiroh snorted. 'Oh yes, don't come to practice tomorrow. I already told the old hag that you'll be out tomorrow after school.'

'Eh? Out to where?' Ryoma blinked.

'We'll be visiting your aunt who wants to see you!' Rinko smiled. 'Oh, and wear that dress she sent you!' Ryoma's jaws dropped at this.

She, KURONUE, a MALE youkai despite this girl's body...

WILL WEAR A DRESS?

**USO DAAAA!**

Her scream shook the rafters, and birds perched on their trees and roof took flight.

xxx

'A party huh, Must be nice.' Momoshiro complained. 'All that good food and all.'

'I'll be made to wear a dress!' Ryoma growled in annoyance. 'A sickly white, frilly, lacy dress with freakishly high heels! For the whole night! I'd rather be here than wear that thing!'

'Ah, it'll be nice to look at though.' Kurama smiled as he came, wearing a Tennis get-up. 'I'm here for my match with Fuji-kun.'

'Ahhh! Oh yeah, you'll be playing with Fuji!' Kikumaru cried while pointing at Kurama. 'Will you be OK though?'

'I'll be fine. I know how to play thanks to you guys.' Kurama smiled. 'A promise is a promise.'

'Ah. Well, I'm off and good luck!' and Ryoma ran off for home.

'Ah~ Ii na, a party...lots of good food and probably cute girls too. Ahhh...' Momoshiro sighed.

'Zannen kedo, but we don't have invitations.' Fuji chuckled. 'We can't just barge in or we'll be seen as rude. Well then Minamino-san...ready?' he asked as he took out his racket.

'Aa, I'm ready.' Kurama nodded as he too, took out his racket.

Needless to say...Kurama surprised them all that day...

xxx

At home...

'Ryoma-chan, take a bath and THOROUGHLY groom yourself, OK?' Rinko told her daughter. 'I mean thoroughly! We'll be going to a classy place and first impressions are important!'

'Hai!' Ryoma began mumbling and grumbling as she took a through shower, scrubbed herself, trimmed and gave her nails a mani and pedicure before putting on the yellow-and-white dress her aunt sent to her, accessories and add-on sleeves included with matching shoes.

Ryoma whimpered before dolling herself up, and she did a damn good job with her long hair.

Makaian Hairstyle for concubines(but still humanly possible to be done in the time she had) and it suited the tiara her aunt-she-has-yet-to-meet gave her. Then she sprayed herself with perfume and put make-up on herself but just enough to still age-appropriate.

'Yosh...time to go to torture, I suppose.' Ryoma sighed as she went downstairs to be with her parents who looked SHOCKED that their hopelessly tomboy daughter actually knew how to doll herself up. Maybe there's hope for her yet?

'Ohhh! Looking good bishoujo!' Nanjiroh grinned in approval. 'For now, we wait here for our ride.' Ryoma blinked at this.

'What ride?'


	20. Tezuka papa

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Tezuka-papa<p>

Ryoma twitched.

They were picked up by a FREAKING LIMOUSINE, and taken to a freaking Estate! There, numerous other limousines arrived, and they went into the mansion upon presenting their invitations.

'Geh...I hope I'm not expected to dance or crap like that! There's a ballroom in here!' Ryoma choked nervously as she saw the ballroom, and EVERYONE here, including her family, were dressed as if they were in some Grammy Awards shows. But the thing is, they're all filthy rich and her family wasn't(if only she knew the truth). So she was nervous on how these rich people will treat her family.

Upon getting inside...

'Ma, explore for now, Ryoma.' Nanjiroh told his daughter. 'The main event will start at seven, so have fun but be back here then, OK?'

'Hai.' Ryoma drawled as she ran off.

'Humm...she'll most likely meet her cousin.' Rinko mused thoughtfully.

'...here's hoping she doesn't punch his face.' Nnajiroh cackled. 'She's got little patience for certain types of people.'

xxx

While wandering around the estate...

Ryoma explored the mansion, preferring the airconditioned hallways than the heat outside. She eventually came to a music room, outfitted with every classical instrument. '...I guess I'll entertain myself here.' and she sat down to play the piano.

xxx

'Hee...so your cousin gets to meet you for the first time eh?' the Hyoutei Team Regulars were in the Mansion, lounging in Atobe Keigo's room-the reception area, not bedroom itself.

'Yeah. I heard Auntie insisted on raising her away from the hype of our society, far away from the influence and peer pressure of the wealthy and grow up at her own pace.' said Atobe Keigo with a sigh. 'She has no idea of her maternal side of the family and also had no idea she's really rich.' he snorted. 'Her re-introduction to this society is tonight.'

'Poor girl will be overwhelmed.' Oshitari Yuushi shook his head. 'That or something else might happen.'

'I'm curious as to what she'd do.' said Mukahi Gakuto.

'Well, should we find her?' said Shishido Ryou. 'The party's at seven right? She might be around here somewhere.'

xxx

'Ahhh...it's so boring.' Ryoma sighed. 'What I'd do for fun...' she got bored of the music room and got out to the yard where she saw Sanada, also in a formal attire talking to someone. 'Oh! A familiar face!' she beamed. 'At least I won't be alone here.' she waited until Sanada was done talking before getting close. 'Sanada.' Sanada blinked and was surprised to see the tomboy girl in an all-feminine dress...and hairstyle.

'Do my eyes deceive me or you actually wore a dress?' Sanada smirked, causing the younger girl to twitch.

'I have no choice, OK?' Ryoma grumbled. 'It's a formal party and my unknown aunt wants me to wear this for her. I wonder what happened back at Seigaku.' she sighed. 'Shuichi and Fuji-senpai had a friendly match and I'm curious about the results...and I don't even have their phone numbers!'

'That's odd, you SHOULD have their phone numbers.' Sanada pointed out.

'Oh sure, my dad will go crazy if I had boys' numbers in my phone.' Ryoma snorted. 'Something about preserving his li'l princess' virtue.' Sanada laughed at this.

'He'll have to wait till you're 18 for that sort of thing!'

'Try telling him that!' Sanada then took out his phone.

'I have Tezuka's number.' he said. 'We Captains and Vice-Captains made it a point of having each other's numbers since we tend to go to special meetings and such or if we're all called by the Tennis Association for drawing lots in Tournaments. Want to call him?' Ryoma beamed at this.

'Uwaaa! Sankyuu!' Ryoma grinned as she phoned her Captain.

xxx

Seigaku...

Just as about everyone finished practice, Tezuka's phone rang. He reached for his pocket and he was surprised to see Sanada's name on the LCD. "Sanada?" he answered his phone only... /Tezuka-papa~!/ both Tezuka and Sanada face-faulted at how she referred to the bespectacled brunette in her cutesy true voice. All of Seigaku went O.O upon seeing their captain act OOC for a change.

'D-did he...' Kaidoh choked out. 'Just do that?'

'Ii data...so even Tezuka can get off-guard...' Inui muttered as he recorded that moment in his notebook.

'W-what is it, Echizen?' Tezuka croaked as he fixed his glasses back on his face, having been caught off guard. So much for his motto...

/How's the result of the match between Shuichi and Fuji-senpai?/

xxx

Back at the mansion...

'Ehhhh? Shuichi won? Ah...ahh...that's really shocking and unexpected...and he's not in any club!' Ryoma swore. 'Wakatta. Arigatou, Tezuka-papa.' and she put the phone away. 'Yare yare...'

'And you said Minamino-san wasn't in any club as Meiou High is all academics. He seriously won against Fuji?' Sanada mused thoughtfully and in intrigue.

'That's what I thought too...even I can't beat him yet!' Ryoma deadpanned. 'And get this, Tezuka-papa said he only used basics since he couldn't do our techniques but somehow, no matter what counter Fuji-senpai used, he could chase it and hit it back. It was incredible.' Ryoma whistled. 'Ryuzaki-sensei was whining about how a treasure like him ended up in a nerdy school when he had that much talent.'

'I imagine.' Sanada snorted. 'But a person who never played Tennis before to win against Fuji Syusuke. I want to face him someday.'

'Haha, I'll tell him that.' Ryoma smiled. 'Come on, it's almost seven and thanks for the phone call...we got to go back to that ballroom.'


	21. The Party

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>The Party<p>

That seven o'clock...

'Oh man, I hate this I hate this...' Ryoma moaned as she and Sanada entered the ballroom. 'Iyada~they might make me dance!' she whined. 'I have two left feet!'

'Then just politely decline.' Sanada chuckled. 'Well, I have to go to my parents now. Go to yours.' the two nodded and they parted ways.

'Ara, who's that dashing young man you talked with, Ryoma-chan?' Rinko smiled at her daughter. It was good she's interested in a boy!

'Oh him? He's Sanada Genichirou. I sometimes see him whenever I visit Yukimura at the hospital. He's Yukimura's Vice-Captain.' Ryoma smirked. 'He's pretty nice but when it comes to Tennis, it's Serious Business.'

'Heee...you sure know how to pick 'em! Go for Tennis Players, Ryoma-chan!' Nanjiroh grinned with wiggling eyebrows, causing Ryoma to stomp on his foot. 'Eeeeeeek...' he squeaked in pain as he had to restrain himself from saying, 'EEEEEYOOOUUUCH!'

'We're FRIENDS ahou!'

'Sigh, quit teasing Ryoma, anata. Haven't you learned she always retaliates painfully if you deserve it?' Rinko sighed in fond exasperation as she rested her chin on her hand. 'Ryoma-chan, your aunt and uncle will be here soon, as well as your cousin.'

'How come I never got to see them as a kid anyway?' Ryoma asked her. Her parents just smiled mysteriously.

'This and that happened...'

Ryoma twitched. Her parents can be annoyingly secretive sometimes!

'Rin-chan!' came a too-cheerful voice. Speak of the devil...a black-haired woman with blue eyes, yet an IDENTICAL copy of her mother came. The freaky thing was they had the SAME hairstyle and make-up.

'Rei-chan!' Rinko beamed as she went to greet her twin...and her aunt with a hug. 'It's been twelve years!'

'W-wow...she looks like mom just had a dye job!' Ryoma croaked to her laughing father.

'What's funnier is that their names are written in the same kanji.' Nanjiroh snorted in amusement. 'The pronunciation is the _only_ thing that's different. Well, they're twins...and your maternal grandparents thought of it as a nice pun.' Ryoma sweatdropped. Her mother's name was written 凛児. The 凛 can be read as both 'Rin' and 'Rei' meaning 'cold, frigid, bracing or dignified'.

'Ryoma-chan wore the dress I sent and that hairstyle is so cute!' Reiko squealed as she practically smothered her niece.

'Believe it or not my tomboy child came up with that style herself.' Rinko laughed as Ryoma twitched. 'I thought I had to go up her room to help her style and make-up and she came down with an elaborate hairdo!'

'Even I have aesthetics mom!' Ryoma pouted indignantly while her mother had fun at her expense. Being a three-thousand year old THIEF who often steals treasure and looks at eye-candy gave her plenty of experience.

'Hahahaha! Hai hai!'

'So what's your full name Reiko-obasan?' Ryoma asked her auntie.

'Oh, it's Atobe, Ryo-chan.' Reiko beamed. 'Atobe Reiko.' not far from them, Sanada nearly choked on his tea. Ryoma was related to the ATOBEs? And she DID say she had no clue about her relatives she was to meet just TODAY. 'Saa, while my husband is busy playing host, I should spend time with you guys. My son is off with his teammates somewhere, probably playing Tennis. You play too right?'

'Hai. I'm a regular in Seigaku.' Ryoma grinned. 'And I have yet to lose in my official matches! So my anonymous cousin is a regular as well?'

'Yes, and he's the Captain of Hyotei sweetie. You and your schools might face each other someday and I had no idea who to cheer for if it got up that point!' Reiko whined childishly. The Echizens sweatdropped. 'Ma, I'll call that shy boy of mine and threaten his allowance if he doesn't come here! Ohohohoho!' Reiko smirked with a mischievously impish smile, giving Ryoma the impression that her aunt, was a woman-child.

xxx

Elsewhere...

'Grrr...I have to go there!' Atobe growled. 'Mother threatened to cut my allowance in half if I don't go meet her!'

'Come on, get to know your cousin.' Ootori Choutarou encouraged him. 'She can't be that bad. I mean, she had no clue she's actually wealthy right? She's not like...well...others.' he said as he made a face.

'Ya better go now lest your ma cuts off your allowance in half!' Shishido Ryou cackled as atobe sprinted out of his room.

'Sheesh, his mom had to go THAT far just so he'd meet his cousin? How lame.'

xxx

At the ballroom...

Atobe quickly spotted his cousin...who was being SMOTHERED by his mother. Granted, she was pretty cute and of course, insert-eye-roll here, her mother dolled her up for this party and the outfits and accessories provided by his mom. That was the story they cooked up as it was Ryoma's mother who actually bought the damn things and just made his mom say she bought it.

Might as well get this over with. 'Mother.' he greeted with a well-controlled composure.

'Keigo, kindly be a good oniisan and get to know your cousin Ryoma-chan, OK?' his mother smiled sweetly but a threatening sweet way.

'Ehhh of course.' Atobe coughed. 'Ore-sama wants to get to know little cousin so shall we?' Atobe put on a gentleman impression and offered Ryoma his hand.

'Ore-sama eh? Wow, your head's as big as a blimp, cousin mine.' Ryoma drawled blandly as Atobe sputtered at this. 'Let me inflate it some more with helium and you'll be off the ground.' she said as she got off her chair. 'That'll be pretty fun!'

'What was that, brat?' Atobe asked with a smile while twitching. Ryoma just smirked.

'Oh nothing, nothing, blimpy-monkey. Show me around! Giddyap! Ryoma chirped playfully as she playfully pushed her sputtering, indignant cousin out. 'And while we're at it, we drag Sanada along.'

'Eh?'

xxx

'So YOU'RE that Sanada she's talking about,' said Atobe wryly as he glanced at Sanada Genichirou who was dressed in a formal kimono. 'There's five Sanadas in attendance here after all.'

'Ma, I had to drag him away from the fuddy-duddies he's talking to.' Ryoma chuckled. 'Who're they though?'

'Oh, the sons of my father's business partners.' said Sanada blandly. 'I have to get along with them for business reasons but I'd rather be in the courts than a business party. Allies are good but a pain in the butt. And how are you getting along with your wealthy aunt?'

'Well, Reiko-obasan's really nice and pretty lively so I kinda like her but I have yet to meet Keigo-san's father. He's busy playing host so maybe by the end of the party...yeah.' Ryoma shrugged. 'What's uncle like?'

'Father huh? He's your typical serious and strict businessman father, always expecting the best.' Atobe snorted. 'How he ended up with a personality like mother's is a mystery in itself.'

'Heee...'

'I couldn't say a word when I met him once with my father on some deal.' Sanada grunted. 'It's like some barrier erected and I just stood there like an idiot. Uncomfortable.' Ryoma made a face at this.

'Crap. And I'm supposed to talk to him soon?' Ryoma swore in horror. 'Oh gawd I want to go ho...' she froze and so did her two companions.

'...not again.' Atobe swore as he glanced to his left warily towards the windows. 'It's always like this at parties.'

'So mooks trying to kidnap wealthy heirs for ransom or for slave trade is a normal thing?' Ryoma whistled as under her skirt, she materialized a holster filled with several heavy, flat throwing knives made of lead.

'Yes, normal so sometimes, we need to know how to fight.' Atobe drawled. 'That and make sure you're always in a group.'

'Right now, me thinks the mooks thinks that since I'm a girl I'll be a liability.' Ryoma smirked maliciously. 'Fucktards.' Atobe and Sanada were surprised at her swearword of choice. Atobe had long gotten used to the fact that his cousin didn't give a damn about is looks, his name and wealth regardless of relations and talks like a boy and now she's a closet sadist? 'I'll show them liability...painfully.'


	22. Intruders

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Intruders<p>

'Right now, me thinks the mooks thinks that since I'm a girl I'll be a liability.' Ryoma smirked maliciously. 'Fucktards.' Atobe and Sanada were surprised at her swearword of choice. Atobe had long gotten used to the fact that his cousin didn't give a damn about is looks, his name and wealth regardless of relations and talks like a boy and now she's a closet sadist? 'I'll show them liability...painfully.'

And she cracked her knuckles.

'Er Sanada? You've known her longer than I did...' Atobe whispered and Sanada shrugged.

'She was never like that whenever she visits Yukimura even with us present.' Sanada hissed back.

'Come out come out wherever you are...Ryoma-chan will treat you well...' Ryoma purred with a sadistic smile as she walked on ahead, chuckling sinisterly. Sanada and Atobe glanced at each other nervously, a bit freaked out before following her...OUT into the gardens.

'H-hey! Ryoma!' Atobe swore. They're here dammit! Ryoma went from sadistic girl to cutesy mode as she faced the boys.

'But Keigo-oniisama~!' Ryoma simpered in a sweet sugary voice complete with puppy-dog eyes complete with clasped hands, while Atobe and Sanada sputtered inwardly a "'Keigo-oniisama'?" 'I wanted to play with your dog Kuro-chan out here!' she smiled maliciously as she was glancing to her left, looking rather predatory.

'Kuro's here somewhere so we'll look for him.' Atobe said, playing along with his cousin's...insanity while they were on guard. Up on the trees...were some men...and when they pounced on the teens with a leather bag and a stunner...

Big mistake.

Before Atobe nor Sanada could react, Ryoma moved fast(as humanly possible) with acrobatics, and reached under her skirt to fling the lead knives she changed into steak knives before taking them out, and threw them with deadly accuracy at the hands that had the stunners, causing them to yell in pain...and of course, all that screaming caused quite a ruckus and minutes later, the adults came out of curiosity.

Before then, the kids scampered off and left the adults to clean up the mess.

xxx

'Whew! That was close.' Sanada sighed. 'But did you really have to stab their arms with knives instead of attacking their stunners?'

'Disabling them and getting the adults is the only way.' Atobe grunted. 'Better off that way and people will ask why and how can Ryoma throw knives! How will she answer that? Well, if anyone asks, pretend we don't know anything! But how the hell do you know knife-throwing?' he demanded of his little cousin who smiled. "Moreover, how can a 12 year old have such frightening killing intent, ahn?" he wondered suspiciously as he glanced at Sanada who had the same thoughts.

He could not believe that his young friend...well, she was more of Yukimura's friend...was such an incredible fighter capable of having and expressing a high level of malice. And Yukimura said she was very nice, mature and caring and other things he thought the gentle boy(at least until he's in the courts) fell for her. Is he even aware of 'this' side?

'Oh this and that happened...'

xxx

The suspicious men were captured and sent to the police by the adults after ordering the servants to restrain the injured men who each had a knive stuck stabbed close to their wrists.

Rinko and Nanjiroh knew it's their daughter's handiwork and they wisely shut up. But they seriously had to wonder what issues their daughter has, they raised her properly and kept an eye on her and what she was learning! How on earth did this happen?

xxx

Atobe's room...

'Uwaaa! Your cousin's really cute!' Mukahi chirped as the whole Hyoutei team saw their captain's cousin. 'And uh...why is Sanada-san of Rikkaidai here?' he croaked as he glanced at the taller, imposing boy.

'I was invited.' said Sanada. 'Echizen dragged me over to get me away from some boring businessmen.'

'Ahhh...'

'Then what're you guys doing, hiding away in here?' Ryoma asked them all. 'I originally thought you'd all be at the party.'

'Who wants to be surrounded by intimidating rich people?' Shishido snorted. 'The dangerous part is if they ask us what family we're from! If they don't recognize our family names their attitude towards us will change so we don't show up. Atobe has to for formal reasons though. But I never imagined Sanada to be wealthy too.'

'I'm from a traditional family famous for Japanese Arts and gain our prestige in the Business Industry.' said Sanada. 'Of course I'd be here.'

Well, a bunch of teenagers holed up in Atobe's room...until Atobe, Ryoma and Sanada had a phone call three hours later.

xxx

At the Party...a dance ball was held, much to Ryoma's horror.

'I don't know how to dance!' she choked out. 'No way!'

'Ma, I'll dance with you and I'll tell you what to do to manage.' Atobe grinned as he made that offer to his horror-struck cousin. 'What about you Sanada?'

'I'm called to join the orchestra in the next music piece onwards.' said Sanada. 'Ma, have fun, Echizen.' he smirked rather impishly(or as it could get with him).

'This is not fun at all!'

xxx

Ryoma wound up learning the waltz from her cousin after about thirty minutes of trial and error. 'Mattaku, didn't you go to a dance school while younger?' Atobe chuckled as he danced with his frustrated-looking cousin.

'Classical dance, no, modern dance-the kind at teenage parties, yes!' Ryoma grumbled.

'Ma, how about ballroom?'

'Hell no!'

'Yare yare...at least we danced and we can safely leave if the ballroom music comes up.' Atobe sighed. 'Although for future reference, you really should learn how to do the classical dance.' he advised. 'Mother will surely keep inviting your family for parties and learning how to dance is a basic.'

'You've got to be joking.' Ryoma grumbled. 'We're not even a rich family. Yeah, we're a bit well-off because of dad's earnings in the Grand Slams and mom's a Lawyer but not enough for this.' at this Atobe rolled his eyes.

"Just WHEN are they going to tell her that she's the Takeuchi Heiress? By the looks of things, keeping her ignorant will soon backfire on them." he thought wryly. His cousin had ZERO knowledge in regards to acting her station which could be bad and be detrimental as their world is freaking politics in itself. The Politics of the Elite. If she offends the wrong person...could prove detrimental to her reputation.

This party was to show everyone what the heiress looked like but on a do-not approach to let her get used to their atmosphere.

But they need to salvage the situation fast.


	23. Consideration

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Consideration<p>

After the party...

Ryoma was fast asleep in the car that took them home.

'Yare yare, her first party wore out bishoujo.' Nanjiroh smiled as he sat at front.

'Keigo-kun did say she was nervous and frantic about what to do at parties. At least she made friends with her cousin and that Sanada boy.' Rinko smiled. 'She's made two good friends.'

Friends meant allies in the lingo of the wealthy and elite.

The Atobes are one of the top ten richest families in Japan, with the Takeuchis included in that small list. And the Sanada Family, while not in the top ten, was very wealthy in connections and had such close affiliations with people they needed. Ryoma struck gold and it's not because Keigo was her cousin. She had unwittingly befriended Sanada Genichirou while unaware of his real social status. Just two of them alone is enough to secure Ryoma's future.

'Ma, she'll be fine soon.' Nanjiroh chuckled. 'But I'm worried about what Kei-kun had Rei-chan relay to us. He insists we should tell her soon though and that would mean moving out of our 'front house'.'

'Humm...I'll think about the pros and cons first. Ryoma is still young and thus impressionable...and she still has lots of things to learn before we tell her the truth.' said Rinko. 'Those things are things she won't learn as she ascends to her station. I want her to learn more values before she learns the truth. Just like how mama and papa raised me and Rei-chan.'

'Sou ka...but we have little time Rin-chan. A year at most.'

'I know.'

xxx

That same night, Atobe read the information about his cousin that was sent to his mother.

**_-A tomboy to the core. Used to speak in feminine pronouns using 'boku' to refer to herself but ever since they got to Japan,_**  
><strong><em>she uses more and more masculine form of speech. Could also effortlessly deepen her voice and often speaks in her 'male' voice<em>**  
><strong><em>and only uses her real voice when she's serious. Had a big personality change upon moving to Japan to an unknown<br>extent. Still under investigation.*_**

**_-Almost no knowledge of feminine aesthetics and could care less about perfumes, make-up, and looking good. In fact, she never_**  
><strong><em>owned a dress. She had tomboyish clothes and shoes and would have to be bribed to do something feminine with her mother. As for cooking...pastries and desserts are lethal* but she can cook meals just fine.(this part, Atobe sweatdropped at.)<em>**

**_-A strong swimmer and could swim up to ten feet at just six years old and could swim up to twenty at eleven. She is also familiar_**  
><strong><em>with the ancient form of swimming she somehow discovered in a library book at America called 'Noshi'* and is a very fast swimmer<em>**  
><strong><em>using that swimming technique. Her favorite sport second to Tennis.(Atobe raised an eyebrow at this. She could swim that deep at six? Then again, their american home was near a beach.)<em>**

**_-Proved to be talented for Tennis at age seven but spent more time training and never participated in Official American Tournaments._**

**_-Likes Japanese Food as she is a big eater and Japanese meals take up little space. She hates western food that takes up big space_**  
><strong><em>thus could not eat and enjoy as much as she liked. If one were ever to treat her, they should have big wallets prepared. The most<em>**  
><strong><em>dangerous place however...is any place with ice cream or cakes*.(easy. He had a huge allowance everyday.)<em>**

**_-She doesn't mind people with an inflated ego or arrogance as long as they can back it up. However, if they could not, they are  
><em>****_warranted to absolute PUBLIC humiliation as revenge.(this, Atobe took note of.)_**

**_-Knows how to Disco Dance, Street Dance and Breakdancing.('Ahhh, so this is what she meant by Modern Dance'!)_**

**_-Has the ability to sleep comfortably anywhere, anyhow. She can even fall asleep STANDING and is highly-alert even in  
>deep sleep.<em>**

**_-Her idea of playing...is dangerous. She would climb up high places, jump down from said high places and has a huge adventurous  
>streak she often had to be watched by her retired father in fear she might climb up a cliff or a high tree or dare to swim beyond her limits.<em>**

**_-Recently discovered: Could accurately throw knives shown when she entered a vent during a hostage taking in a restaurant where_**  
><strong><em>her mother was having a business meeting with a client, and effortlessly took down grown ARMED men. And she was never taught<em>**  
><strong><em>how to fight or knife-throwing nor learned from books or movies. Still under investigation.<em>**

**_-Please take note that her speech patterns and sleeping habits started upon moving to Japan._**

"Omoshiroi." Atobe thought to himself. Her knife-throwing talent was shown when she took down their would-be kidnappers, and had a hidden cruel streak. Ryoma, his baby cousin, is a dangerous enemy if provoked. But what COULD provoke her, besides anything involved with crime? He had to know, tell Tezuka to keep an eye on his dangerous teammate as he could tell she has no qualms about killing, if the situation required.

Evidenced by the incident earlier as she had enough malice that caused their caged Dobermans around the cornet to chorus a cacophony of loud barks. He would arrange a meeting...

xxx

Next day...

Tezuka received a lengthy text message from Atobe.

He was SHOCKED that Ryoma was actually related to this person through their mothers who were twin sisters, thus making them cousins. He was also given a full account on what happened at the party when Ryoma was with him and Sanada and information he was sure Inui will never get on his own. Atobe also warned him on how dangerous his cousin could be if provoked into dangerous situations as she clearly had no qualms about killing someone...something not even her own parents knew about...and only Atobe and Sanada did...and now him through information pass. But how on earth does she bring knives around and never get caught? There's assuming she has some on her person but how can they not poke her?

He glanced at their lone female regular who was chatting-and griping-with Kurama about switching schools as his sports talent is wasted in his nerdy school, if he could beat Fuji in just the basics. He frowned in worry and he had every right to. He would keep an eye on her however he could. But school is as far as he could go. Yukimura keeps an eye on her in the hospital, and Kurama as he was her best friend. But does he know? He was tempted to ask him but asking him could prove detrimental to his situation. Kurama will surely tell Ryoma he asked him and Ryoma will begin suspecting as the only ones who knew of her deed were her parents, her cousin and Sanada. And she's a dangerous girl to cross.

For now, he'll enjoy what peace he has. Practice is at usual, with the Quarterfinals a week away, hence right now...they were coming up with compatible Doubles Pairs as Doubles were their weaknesses. Their decent Doubles Pair were only the Golden Pair. The experimental Fuji-Kawamura pair was experimental and they were improving their teamwork, and are still discovering work-able Doubles Pairs these past few weeks with help from Kurama's observation ability. He had expressed encouragement in pairing up Fuji and Kawamura, Momoshiro and Kikumaru, Oishi with either Momoshiro or Kaidoh, Inui and Kaidoh, Ryoma and Kawamura, Ryoma and Fuji, and Fuji with Kikumaru. He even listed out how they can work properly and support each other as soon as they learn how. Tezuka could not be put in a Doubles Pair as he was too skilled and unable to complement a partner's skills with his current repertoire.

Inui took to staying close to Kurama to learn how to gather data like the redhead could as he could get what he missed, and that was saying something as they've been doubles training and stamina training since St. Rudolph.

* * *

><p>1. The personality change started when she moved to Japan and soon awakened as Kuronue.<p>

2. The lethal patries are inspired from Charlie's Angels' Alex who made rock-hard blueberry muffins Dylan jokingly called 'Chinese Fighting Muffin'.

3. Inspired from HSDK as Kenichi learned that swimming technique from Shigure. Look up the Manga Chapter 294 page 8.

4. Inspired by HSDK's Kushinada Chikage who has a ridiculously huge sweet tooth.


	24. Discovery

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Discovery<p>

After that day...

'Ah, I think you have a fanboy in Inui-senpai, Kurama.' Ryoma chuckled.

'Well, I saw what he didn't, so...' Kurama mused with a shrug. 'How's that boy's training going?'

'No training for now...the committee's looking for humans to satisfy the masses.' Ryoma sighed. 'I put up a kekkai and had him compress his strength. I also asked Koenma that in the event I was discovered and invited, I was to be a substitute member only so I'll only fight if REALLY needed. But if possible, I'd rather not fight at all. I have something I must protect.'

'Sou...I was invited last night. The day after we rescued Yukina-chan from Tarukane.' said Kurama, causing Ryoma to freeze. 'Hiei was also invited so I'm guessing Yusuke and Kuwabara too.'

'Sou. And who's the fifth member?'

'We left Yusuke to find us a fifth member. We hope it can be you but considering your circumstances, you can't be a main fighter. You can only be a substitute.' Kurama sighed. 'Hiei's not too happy.'

'Can't be helped. I'm surrounded by sharp people.' Ryoma chuckled. 'Yukimura knows about the Tournament since I told him when the bastards began scouting. I can't let them pick him in his condition.' she sighed wearily. 'A disease that numbs him on and off...what's the prize again?'

'Well...a wish per member for the winning team.' said Kurama. 'Each of us get what we want. And nothing is an impossible wish as three worlds are in on this tournament. Ningenkai's Black Book Club Tarukane was part of, Reikai who makes sure the youkai don't do anything funny and Makai who plays a big part in impossible wishes.'

'Sou ka. Then maybe I can make good use of my participation then. I hope Koenma calls me when I'm vacant or if my affairs are done.'

'Sou da na.' Kurama smiled when they felt a presence following them. '...oh hell...' he swore as he wondered if whoever that was, was checking Ryoma out. His best friend had been compressing her youki to avoid being invited. But she was being followed. Her, not him. He knew Ryoma would do something...

And when a demon came, Ryoma was quick to conjure her trademark weapons, her chained sickles and killed the scout by quartering him into four...and Kurama's jaws dropped.

Tezuka saw the whole thing.

xxx

Tezuka got home yes, but his mother ran out of soy sauce and eggs for tonight's dinner so she made him go out and buy some. But on the way home...he saw a uniformed hideous beast when he turned around the corner...and Ryoma killing it effortlessly with chained sickles, and Kurama nearby.

His eyes widened.

What in the world is going on here?

xxx

'R-Ryoma! Tezuka-kun saw everything!' Kurama exclaimed in alarm as Ryoma looked up and froze to see her shocked-looking captain.

'Oh shit...' Ryoma swore with wide eyes.

'Echizen...kindly explain what in the nine hells is THAT?' Tezuka asked her with a twitch and he was trying as hard as he can to be calm...despite a monster cut into four and bleeding blue blood on the road before disappearing.

'Er ah...that's a youkai?' Ryoma squeaked sheepishly as she scratched her head and Kurama groaned.

Kuronue never did know subtle. Heck, he can't even lie his way out of a paper bag which was why in the old days, Kurama did most of the talking!

xxx

By the playground not far from them...

'So...explain.' said Tezuka. 'I take it you know this too Minamino-san.' he said wearily.

'Yes.' Kurama admitted. Might as well. He reached into his hair and took out a rose, and with a sharp wave, the rose changed into a whip. A THORNY green whip. Tezuka could only stare incredulously. 'Ryoma and I are quite...different. You could call us spiritually-gifted humans. Each of us has a unique ability but the end result is the same...the power to harm and kill youkai. I have power over plants and can make dangerous weapons out of them.'

'Well, weapons are my thing but chained sickles are my favorite due to their versatility.' Ryoma continued as she created her chain sickles. 'I'm what you'd call a Quest-Class type...the ability to materialize objects out of your aura.'

'How on earth did this happen?' Tezuka sighed softly. 'I have long accepted that weird things are happening but this is just too much.' he sighed wearily as he pinched his nose. At this, the two thieves took note that Tezuka...also has powers.

'it happens in about 1 out of 10.' said Kurama. 'Select few humans have reiki potential. Some awaken it, some don't and their kids end up awakening the power they inherit from their parents. And that this is to balance power. Youkai can come to Ningenkai from Makai every now and then. It's our job to keep an eye or kill them as youkai are not allowed to harm humans but sometimes, they manage to slip past us. Ryoma and I operate in Tokyo along with three others. It also helps that we live in different places in Tokyo. We can cover a big ground in our territory.'

'And how long are you two doing this?'

'Er...I was ten when I started.' Kurama looked sheepish. Tezuka gave him a disbelieving look and he turned to Ryoma.

'I was eight and still in America at the time.' said Ryoma with a shrug. Tezuka felt his heart sink. They've been at this since they were elementary? 'We could kill at a young age but it's better than getting eaten.' Tezuka looked at the two teens and sighed. No wonder they got along so fabulously well. They had a lot in common in more ways than one.

'Who can see these youkai besides us?' Tezuka asked them wearily. 'Since the start of this semester...I could see ghosts...the restless...the scary, vengeful kind...even haunts. And weird bugs I'm sure do not exist in encyclopedias.'

'Wow, you're one of us.' Ryoma chuckled as she glomped his arm. 'Welcome to the club. Oh yeah, come with me to the hospital! You'd be surprised!'

'...I'll have gray hairs and I'm not even twenty.' the bespectacled captain groaned. 'But can I get the groceries home first?'

xxx

Hospital by nightfall...

Tezuka twitched. Yellow lightning connected to ofudas? 'What in the world is THIS?'

'A kekkai. I put it up for his safety.' Ryoma quipped. 'It's to hide him from youkai. At his condition he can't do squat. He's like us too.'

'You've got to be joking.' Tezuka moaned. Yukimura too?

'I've been protecting him since the day after Niou took me to Yukimura...and I discovered his powers.' Ryoma told him. 'I trained him myself so he knows how to fight. Youkai like humans to eat but they like humans with reiki even more. And Yukimura's a sitting duck with his illness so on occassions he could move, he can fight back. But now that he's getting more numb lately, I had to put up a kekkai on floors he's usually in for his check-ups and rehabilitations. Especially...when a stupid tournament came up and it's three months from now.'

'A tournament?' Tezuka inquired.

'The Ankoku Bujutsukai...a tournament held every fifty years.' said Kurama dryly. 'It's a tournament sponsored by darkness. Youkai form teams of five or six members and they occasionally find humans with high reiki levels as a Guest Team. They all fight to the death for the prize of one wish for each member of the winning team. Scouts are let out to locate powerful humans. The youkai Ryoma killed just now is a scout. She can't afford to be recruited and reported to the committee of darkness right now...not when she's protecting Yukimura-kun. As for me, I got invited.'

'...but what about your family and school?' Tezuka asked the redhead with a frown.

'Oh, well...my mom went overseas with her new boyfriend so the only one at home is me and my would-be stepbrother.' both Ryoma and Tezuka thought, "TOO MUCH INFORMATION!" 'I can simply tell him that I'll be sleeping over at some friends and he'll buy it.'

'And what if you die?'

'Well...that's another thing entirely.' said Kurama with a sardonic smile. 'I left a will that's only to activate if I die. My existence in Ningenkai will be erased. Records, files and memories so my mother won't have to grieve for a dead son and continue living happily. I had it all planned out.'

And they're casual about dying at a young age, too.


	25. Fighting to Avoid Recruitment

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Fighting to Avoid Recruitment<p>

Yukimura's Hospital Room...

'Ara, it's a rare sight.' Yukimura commented as he saw Tezuka come into his room with the two Tantei. 'But I'm happy you came to see me, Tezuka.'

'Er that's because he's like us, now.' Ryoma said wryly as Yukimura gave Tezuka an owlish look. 'For now, he starts at the bottom of the ladder like you used to. And he wants to know everything since by chance, he saw me quarter a Tournament Scout.' Yukimura sweatdropped. What a way to learn the truth.

'Sou ka...so Tezuka, have any special abilities?' Yukimura asked Tezuka with a smile. 'If you trained hard enough, you'll have your own special ability. Whether for fighting or not, it's still special.'

'I don't know...all I can do is see...things best left in horror movies.' Tezuka said wryly. 'I'm not trained yet. So you're saying I can have my own power if I'm trained?'

'Pretty much it. What do you think, Echizen?' Yukimura asked Ryoma. 'What ability will fate give him I wonder...'

'Saa ne, but as long as it suits him, it's OK.' Ryoma nodded. 'Buchou...you'll be learning more about our world. You have to.'

xxx

That night when Tezuka came home...

He could not believe what he got himself into.

His kouhai, her best friend, Yukimura and now he himself, are spiritually-enhanced humans with the ability to see what humans will never see and understand. He learned about Reikai and it's laws regarding humans and youkai, and Makai, the world of the demons. But as they were avoiding scouts from the Tournament, they were lying low and even Yukimura stopped training his reiki just to hide from the committee as she was focused on protecting her helpless student than fight.

Well, he knew now why she had no qualms about killing...she was killing to live another day rather than get killed and eaten.

As if he could tell Atobe and Sanada THAT. They'll NEVER believe him unless he sees with his own eyes the horrible truth. He went to his family training halls in his martial arts gi in deep thoughts. He traced when he could start seeing monsters and ghosts.

He started to see things when serious muscular and stamina training began. At first he could sense...but when the Districts started...he could SEE the damn things...and his left arm slowly healed. The pain he was used to slowly disappeared. Then he could sense supernatural powers and it came from his kouhai who was in fact, secretly healing him while pretending to be clingy around him. He could feel her power heal him whenever she had the chance to cling to him. However, in turn, being exposed to her powers awakened his own latent potential. Not that he told her of course. He didn't. She was already nervous in letting him know and Yukimura looked ready to hit him if he wasn't...accepting and open-minded. Well, when he was, they all sighed in relief. Ryoma and Yukimura feared social ostracizing for being different after all. Now that he's like them...well...

He didn't say a word about that. He was thankful that he could soon return to the courts, so he kept her power a secret. And she never uses her power to enhance herself in Tennis and plays with her own efforts so he kept her secret...that or he thought her power centered around healing...until a couple cours ago when she could conjure weapons which was her REAL power. The healing thing turned out to be a Reiki basic.

Ryoma promised she would train him when the Ankoku Bujutsukai begins. That way, they can be sure there's no more pesky scouts and ahem, recruit them unwillingly.

xxx

Their match against Yamabuki came.

Their doubles improved but still, lack of experience still made Fuji and Kawamura lose against Nitobe-Ichiuma pair by 7-6. Oishi and Kikumaru struggled but they won 7-5. But they still had lots more to work on. Next was Momoshiro against Sengoku. Momoshiro learned an advanced technique, Jack Knife, a technique favored by some pros...at least it was not like Fuji Yuuta's Twist Spin Shot so Ryoma had no problems against Momoshiro's new technique, and he still played despite a leg cramp and his leg gave in when he won at 7-5.

That, was one thing he would get an earful for later from Ryuzaki for sure.

Next, was Ryoma's turn against Akutsu.

'Tche, I get to fight a woman?' Akutsu spat in distaste.

'Got a problem with that?' Ryoma spoke coolly.

'I do and I'll show it in this match.' Akutsu sneered. 'I'd like to see you try win against me!'

'Big mistake that guy made...hime-chan can be scary when she wants to.' Kikumaru shuddered.

'We SHOULD be scared if she speaks in her real voice.' said Kawamura sheepishly. 'It's been happening lately but she uses her real voice when she's serious or upset.'

'And when she does...no mercy.' Inui stated flatly. 'If Akutsu provokes her, it's over.'

'Uhuhuhuhuhu!' Momoshiro, Kaidoh, Kikumaru and Kawamura paled when Ryoma giggled...yes, GIGGLED! In her real voice!

'Holy crap! Here it is!' Momoshiro yelped in fear. Her real voice, is their warning sign that she'll get serious or if something pissed her off. She warned them in advance, thankfully.

'_Men may win battles...but it's always the women who wins the war._' Ryoma spoke in perfect English, complete with Californian Accent, startling the spectators and Akutsu himself as she skillfully twirled her Racket like a baton by the handle. '_And I intend to win the war, little boy._' and a battle of rough Tennis erupted between the two. In flat shots and smashes. However, with her background...Akutsu found himself struggling against her. The score now bordered on 5-3 in Ryoma's favor.

'H-h-holy cow...she could actually face Akutsu?' Sengoku choked out with wide eyes.

'Sugoi desu...there's actually a strong girl who could actually face Akutsu-senpai!' Dan taichi gasped. 'What _is_ she desu?'

'A Sleeping Tiger.' Fuji quipped.

'Ticking Time Bomb.' said Oishi wryly.

'Dormant Volcano.' said Inui, causing many people to sweatdrop. 'If she's serious or provoked, she would use her real voice to talk. But in her provoked state, she can constantly hit flat shots. Ii data. Tezuka, in her private match with you...'

'She never did.' said Tezuka. 'She was serious yes, but not provoked.'

'Sou ka...ah, she won.'

/Game and Match, Echizen! 6-4!/

xxx

The winner is Seigaku followed by Yamabuki, Ginka, Fudoumine and Hyotei-the school that won the Consolation...and these five schools will participate in the Kantou Tournament.

But...two Captains had a private meeting together.

'Tezuka.' Atobe spoke as he came out from behind the trees. 'I heard what happened from the other spectators. Ryoma got provoked?'

'Aa. Thankfully it's just Tennis. Not anything to do with real danger.' Tezuka sighed. 'She...she gave us a warning beforehand.'

'A warning?'

'Aa. If she ever talks in her real voice...everything will end. That was the warning she gave us.' Tezuka chuckled. 'That girl may be scary but full of potential...enough to surpass us.'

'Anything else you learned about her by any chance?'

'...let's say that...if you threatened the people she likes...you would wish for a quick death than suffer in suffering.' Tezuka said mysteriously. 'You'll know if you're in danger and she happened to be nearby.' and he left.

'Oy Tezuka? What do you mean by that? Hey!'

xxx

On the way home...it wasn't all peace and quiet.

'I'll be at the playground!' Ryoma called out after getting a shower and changed into casual clothes.

'Playground? Aren't you too old for that sorta thing Bishoujo?' Nanjiroh called out after her.

'Team Meeting there!' and the door slammed shut.

'It's just a team meeting, no harm done there.' Rinko pointed out while cooking.

'Haaa...I wish she's not the only girl in that team.' Nanjiroh sighed. 'She needs a girlfriend who's a good influence in teaching her how to be a proper girl!'

Little did the couple know that Ryoma had been killing Youkai Scouts left right and center around her area.


	26. Relentless Attacks

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Relentless Attacks<p>

Every single night since the Prefecturals...

Ryoma has been slaying demons every night...and ends up going to school extremely tired and sleepy. Days pass by and she gets worser everyday. Noticeable in her Tennis as they were gradually getting points from her.

'O-oy oy Echizen! Are you alright? Do you have a fever or anything? I mean, people are starting to get even two games from you!' Oishi asked her in concern but Ryoma was unresponsive. 'Echizen? Oooy?'

'Hime-chan? Nee!' Kikumaru called out as Ryoma had an odd half-lidded expression on her face. 'Hime-chan?' he tapped her forehead...

She fell backwards to their disbelief and soon, she was fast asleep.

'Nyaaa! Hime-chan collapsed! Sensei!'

xxx

'Yare yare, she's not responding to what we do to wake her up! It's like she shut down after running out of batteries or something.' the nurse sighed as she scratched her head. 'You boys are not pushing her too hard, are you?'

'Ehhh no. We only do what's on the Menu and stop after that.' said Oishi as he, Ryuzaki and Tezuka were present in the infirmary with the nurse, while looking at their sleeping teammate who was fast and heavily asleep. 'But we always end training at 8 pm!'

'8 pm huh? Well she must be staying up late at night for who-knows-what.' the Nurse deadpanned. 'She should stop whatever it is she's doing after club and sleep early. She's stressed out from lack of sleep!'

xxx

'No, but she always goes out for some reason every time she goes home.' said Nanjiroh as he was scratching his head as the Regulars brought home his sleeping daughter, put her in her room and they talked downstairs. 'And she always had something to bring home as proof she went there so we didn't say anything and always comes home at ten! And you're saying she collapsed from lack of sleep?'

'Well yeah...' said Oishi. 'But that's weird! 10 pm isn't that late and she's that tired?'

'That's what I want to know too!' Nanjiroh griped. 'This case is impossible!' he moaned as Tezuka sensed several presences and her power.

"Don't tell me...!" he gasped. Ryoma had been fighting demons?

'Well what could she possibly be doing that she gets so tired from lack of slee...UWAAAAHHH!' Fuji yelled as he pointed at the window behind Tezuka, Oishi and Inui as he saw a decapitated monster head that soon crashed into the windows.

'What was that?' they all cried as they went to see...what Fuji saw. They all went pale as the head soon vanished.

'A-A monster's head?'

"This is bad...if they're fighting nearby, they'll figure it out! What should I do?" Tezuka swore frantically.

'What's going on? What's that thing?' Kawamura squeaked as next thing they know, Ryoma crashed into the next window, holding a pair of chain sickles and fell on the floor roughly, causing her to throw up blood, causing them to gasp in horror before she got up and went out.

'R-Ryoma?' Nanjiroh choked out. 'What bi the nine hells is going on here? She's fast asleep upstairs!'

'Not anymore...' Inui sputtered out as Tezuka went to the medicine cabinet and calmly took out the first aid. 'Tezuka?'

'...she'll need this soon enough. It's almost over.' his teammates and Ryoma's father gave him a curious look. 'You'll know the truth soon enough...to be honest, I thought she was just practicing late at night but to think this was the real reason she was tired...it's no wonder.' Tezuka sighed. 'I will tell you everything because she won't be in a condition to.'

'You mean...you knew...?' Fuji choked. 'What's going on?' Tezuka calmly walked to the table in the living room and put the medicine kit on the table, and ran outside as he sensed that the fighting was over. Indeed, it was over. Ryoma was in the middle of the road, exhausted and injured. She was also pale from overusing her powers.

'Echizen, are you alright?' Tezuka cried as he picked her up.

'I...I'm...fine...' Ryoma coughed. 'I need...to...rest...for a...week.' she coughed as she struggled to talk. 'I guess...we got...some explaining...to...UGH!' she gasped as she coughed up blood again.

'Go to sleep to save your strength. I'll explain to your father and our team. Go to sleep!' Tezuka ordered worriedly as he carried her bridal style back into the house and Ryoma slowly closed her eyes.

xxx

After half an hour of cleaning her up and patching her injuries... 'I'm done with cleaning her, what is it that you need to do next?' Nanjiroh asked Tezuka. Tezuka insisted on seeing Ryoma after he fixes her up so he could help her.

'I don't know if I can do it since I awoke my potential ten days ago and no training just yet...but I have to try.' said Tezuka as he knelt on one knee by the bed and took Ryoma's hand. 'Right now...she almost has no Reiki left. She's in a critical state.' he said gravely. 'Reiki is the power that comes from our souls itself. Without it...we may as well be dead.' Nanjiroh and his teammates gasped in horror at this. 'That is what she told me.' and he began to focus while trying to tune out their panic and Nnajiroh crying for his daughter not to die.

"Please work...I want to send my Reiki to her but how?" Tezuka thought frantically when Ryoma's room window slid open, and Hiei came in.

'Hiei-kun!' Kawamura cried in recognition as the boy came wearing all black.

'Hn. With your level right now, you can't even feed a mouse.' Hiei grunted as he placed his hand over Ryoma and transferred some of his energy to her. "And she's a youkai. Incredible amounts of Reiki are needed to sustain her life if Youki is not available." Her deathly pale color improved and her condition became alright. If she was struggling to breathe earlier, she was breathing normally again.

'Hiei-kun, you too...?' Kawamura croaked. 'Are you...fighting those monsters too?'

'An important event has started, thus I am invited. So no youkai will annoy the hell out of me.' Hiei said tersely. 'But the committee is fully aware of Ryoma's existence and her power and are trying to recruit her into the Guest Team but time and again, she kills the Scouts. They won't stop sending scouts until she says yes. I'll be around for a week.' and he disappeared.

'Echizen, Minamino, Setsuno and Yukimura...then Urameshi and Kuwabara from Sarayashiki and now I'm included. We're all spiritually-aware and spiritually-gifted humans.' Tezuka told them. 'The others are fully trained and are powerful fighters unlike myself. Only spiritual humans can harm youkai and each of us have unique abilities only we can do and nobody can copy our skills. That's what I learned from her at least.' Tezuka told them as he faced them. 'She told me this because I awoke my potential and could see ghosts but right now, she will not train me.'

'But why? Isn't more better than just one?' Momoshiro demanded. 'It's obvious she can't do it alone!'

'Yes but they all had their territories in Tokyo to cover. And Tokyo's a huge city with many districts.' said Tezuka grimly. 'Normally, one of them can watch over their station but more and more youkai are coming to ningenkai because of an event that occurs every fifty years. The reason why she wouldn't train me. It's so I'm not powerful enough to be scouted and forced into a bloody tournament to satisfy the bloodthirsty youkai and I'll be left alone. My training will start when the tournament starts and no scouts by then.'

'And Yukimura...?' Inui asked him.

'It's a long story. A few days after the Echizens moved to Japan...a few days after that hostage-taking in a restaurant where her mother was held hostage, Echizen used her power to conjure throwing knives to cut the wires linking to CCTV Cameras, unaware that she left a residue of her power there.' Nanjiroh squawked at this. 'This led to Reikai discovering her and Koenma recruited her as a Reikai Tantei, on the condition that she is only to be called if she was really needed...considering she's busy with school and the club that takes up most of her time...that and she's surrounded by very sharp people.' Tezuka snorted.

'When did Ryoma get her power?' Nanjiroh asked him.

'She awakened her power when she was seven years old...learned how to control it and when she was eight, she started fighting and killing demons.' Well, of course they'll be horrified that Ryoma started killing young, judging by their expressions. 'She said that a spiritually gifted human can pass on this ability to their child. But in the case that their children and so on could not awaken the dormant power, a descendant will be born who's powerful enough to awaken their potential can use the inherited power so someone up in the family tree has Reiki and passed it down...and your daughter awoke the potential. Who knows where or from whom she learned how to control her power, that's one thing she never told me.'

'Upon recruitment...she has been to Makai with Urameshi, Kuwabara, Setsuno and Minamino to stop an uprising by four Youkai Lords who wants entry into our world...then the mission that got Yukimura involved. The thieving of three artifacts from the Reikai Vaults. The three items were the Koma no Ken, Ankokukyo and the Gakidama. Minamino-san was one of the thieves who targeted the mirror to use it on a full moon for a wish to save his critically ill mother who happened to be on the same hospital as Yukimura. But the price of one wish...was the wisher's life. To prevent his death, Urameshi and Echizen pitched in to share their life force to create the equivalent of one soul for the Mirror to take. But it turns out that the Mirror only takes lives for selfish wishes and does not take lives for selfless wishes. Yukimura who often goes to the roof for fresh air...saw everything.'

'Remember the day Niou came to school?' Tezuka asked his teammates who nodded. 'Not even Niou knew why Yukimura wanted to see Echizen and stressed out the need to see her in private. When she came, he revealed he saw what happened on the hospital rooftop and was since worried that he thought she gave up years of her lifespan away to create that 'one soul' only for her to tell him that the mirror let them keep their lives. She then offered to train him to harness his power. They're on a teacher-student basis. She trained him for his safety. But now that this tournament came up...she must be worried that they might discover and recruit him for the human-only Guest Team. And Yukimura's numbness is getting worse...'

'Which means she fights overnight, lures the scouts to her to protect him and she kills them?' Fuji frowned as Tezuka nodded.

'That's what I think she's doing these past few days.' Tezuka sighed. 'She will not let anything happen to Yukimura who can't fight.'


	27. The Ill Princess

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>The Ill Princess<p>

Seigaku...lunch time at the rooftop...

The Team Atmosphere was downright gloomy because of one reason.

Their youngest member has been fighting to protect everyone from youkai and nearly died if not for the timely arrival of Kawamura's 'best customer', Hiei.

'Hiei-kun neh? Since the day he came to our restaurant, he's coming a lot and ordering only Sashimi. He didn't like Sushi.' said Kawamura. 'At least the rice part. He spends about 100000 yen every time he comes since he eats practically half our stock.'

'T-that big money for one meal alone? He must have had one hell of an appetite!' Kikumaru marveled.

'Ahahaha...dad likes him a lot for that.' Kawamura chuckled. 'Then lately, he orders take-home so now he's spending 250000.' their jaws dropped at this. 'Well, thanks to him we can fix what's broken and damaged in our house and replace faulty appliances.'

'He'll be around to replace Echizen temporarily right? She might not make it for the Intra-Rankings this June.' said Oishi. 'Hiei-kun says a week but that may be the minimum time required for her to be well enough to wake, but she'll be weakened from the ordeal. Ten days should be safe. What do you think, Tezuka?' Tezuka nodded.

'Echizen is a powerful fighter with a lot of Reiki. She depleted her energy reserves so it'll be indeed a while before she fully recovers.' said Tezuka. 'She'll be off the Regulars for now as she will not be able to participate in this month's Intra-Rankings. In the next Intra-Ranking, she can return to the team as hopefully by then, the Ankoku Bujutsukai started and she shouldn't worry about Youkai Emissaries anymore.'

'That's true...and she started at eight...' Fuji sighed. 'Not a good life and childhood. I'm surprised she's still able to live normally while doing all this. Sure, she acts fine around us but how is she when she's alone?' he mumbled worriedly. 'Who comforts her after a day of youkai taiji? After near-deaths and constantly worrying about Yukimura-san?'

They fell silent at that.

xxx

At home...

Nanjiroh wished that week went by quick so he would know his daughter was alright. A day had gone by and she didn't wake up. She couldn't wake up to eat and drink! She'll get malnourished or something!

'Sigh...if my wife comes home early, how am I supposed to explain why our daughter won't wake for a few more days?' he moaned worriedly. 'Please don't come home yet please don't come home yet...' he prayed in a mantra while frantically rubbing his hands in prayer. On the roof, Hiei rolled his eyes.

He was doing his job when Koenma got wind of the situation. He was mind-controlling Ryoma's mother to stay at the Atobe Family longer and ahem, 'look over the family business for a few more days' and he was to protect Ryoma and Yukimura during her recovery sleep. But he couldn't leave Yukina alone either...

He got a bright idea.

xxx

Next day...at the Echizen Residence...

'Yes?' Nanjiroh answered the door to see a red-eyed, pale teal-haired girl whose skin was as white as snow.

'Ano...Hiei-niisama says I should stay here for a while, while he protects Ryoma-san so he could protect both of us easier.' said the girl. 'I am Yukina.' she introduced herself with a smile.

'Hum...you're not a Tournament Scout are you?' Nanjiroh asked her warily. Yukina shook her head as she looked up. Nanjiroh did so to see Hiei on their roof and he wasn't doing anything to her, so...

He let her in.

xxx

Later that day...

Tezuka took to visiting Yukimura while the others took to visiting Ryoma's house. A new girl was in the house who only ate Sashimi surrounded by shaved ice in a take-out bento box while carrying it around and answered the door. She was dressed in a white knee-length flowy dress with her hair worn loose.

'Konnichiwa.' Yukina greeted them. 'Nanjiroh-san went out for shopping so it's just us here for now.'

'Er konnichiwa...you are?' Inui asked the pretty girl whom they guessed to be around Ryoma's age. But she had unnatural traits...skin as white as snow and red eyes. But she was kind and friendly.

'I'm Yukina.' said Yukina. 'Hiei-niisama wants me to stay for a while too.'

They all blinked.

'Ehhhh? Hiei-kun has a little sister?' Yukina smiled and chuckled.

xxx

Hospital...

'Sou ka, so that's what happened...' Yukimura swore as Tezuka relayed to him what happened. 'If only...I wasn't such a deadweight...she wouldn't...' he choked as Tezuka comforted the guilt-stricken bluenette.

'She will be fine after uh...hibernating for a week, according to Hiei.' said Tezuka while stumbling over his words of choice. 'But to be safe, she will stay at home for a few more days, but she will miss the Intra-Ranking and will be out of the Regulars for a while. This is what we all decided so she can fully recover. Hiei-kun will protect both of you in the meantime to keep both of you away from the scouts.' Yukimura can only nod grimly. 'For now, only Echizen Nanjiroh-san knows the truth. His wife has no idea what went on. And do NOT tell anyone that Echizen is ill. Because there is no way we can explain what she got sick with. Just pretend all is normal while to Seigaku, the story is that she got over-exhausted from overdoing training too much and had a fever with sore muscles. That's the best excuse Inui could come up with.'

'Wakatta.' Yukimura nodded. 'I'll keep her illness quiet.' then he sulked. Tezuka sighed before smiling.

'She will be fine. For all I know while she sleeps...she's still thinking about our safeties away from youkai who wish us harm.' Tezuka reassured him. 'She's most worried for you.'

'That's even worse! She's like that because of me!' Yukimura moaned in dismay. 'I wish I could get out of here sooner...and not be a burden on her anymore.' he swore as he shook.

'You were never a burden. She's protecting you because she cares for you.' Tezuka reassured him. 'Echizen...she will protect people she cares for even if she's at risk. While I don't like the idea about the risk part, that's the way she is. All we can do is help her to lessen the workload so she asked me to learn under you while she is recovering.'

Tezuka soon became Yukimura's visitor for...fifteen days.

xxx

Fifteen days later...

Ryoma's case was worser than they thought as instead of the week timeline Hiei gave, she slept an additional eight more days. And she was still woozy and weak when she woke up...

And hungry as hell.

'Ahhh...I'm so hungry...' she whined pitifully as her stomach growled and she got off the bed to take a shower while sitting down as she was shaky on her feet. Upon getting dressed in spare pajamas, she went down to hear her teammates talking to Yukina. She'd know her soft sweet voice anywhere. "Yukina? Why's she at home?" she wondered as she showed up. Her way down was shaky at worst and she slipped...

Someone caught her. 'H-huh?' she turned to her left to see Hiei. 'Ah, arigatou Hiei,' she smiled. 'You and Yukina staying over?'

'At least until you're fully-recovered.' said Hiei wryly as he took her downstairs the fast way. 'You're in no condition to go up and down as your whole body is lethargic from hibernation. You know what to do and you have five more days to get back to top form.'

'Got it...arigato.' and Hiei was gone.

"I wonder what I missed...?" she wondered as she walked into the living room...and Kikumaru was the first to see her.

'HIME-CHAN'S AWAKE GUYS!'

Next thing Ryoma knew, she was smothered by her father and several extremely-worried senpais.


	28. Monkeyblimp and his first case

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Monkey-blimp in his first Case<p>

Everyone was glad that Ryoma was awake and OK, and they all fussed over their youngest teammate. But...

'Oy Bishoujo, is it me or you got taller?' Nanjiroh grinned as he took note of the height increase...in just a few days. 'We'll have to go shopping again!'

'Oh hell no! My clothes are still good enough for this.' Ryoma grumbled as she hid behind Fuji. 'I-will-NOT-go-shopping!' she snarled with an expression of morbid fear.

'You have to hunny, your pants would look weird on you otherwise if they're several inches away from your ankles.'

'Yadaaaa!'

'Mou, hime-chan makes a really cute girl in skirts but to think she doesn't own any...' Kikumaru faked a sniffle.

'Shut it, you!' Ryoma yelled. 'I hate shopping and I hate skirts even more!'

'Now now Echizen-chan, you're a lovely girl. A girl still a girl.' Fuji smiled while ignoring the dirty look sent his way. 'One way or another, you'll be forced to wear skirts for reasons besides a party to look cute.'

'Yeah right, for what?' Ryoma snorted.

'Why, for a guy you're in love with, of course!' silence...

'Sorry pal, I'm a guy at heart. There's no way I'm falling for a 'fellow man' as you put it.' Ryoma smirked smugly.

'You're still a kid but when you're about our age, you'll know what I mean. Ufufufufu...' Fuji chuckled.

'Er Fuji-senpai, considering her attitude, that'll be nigh impossible.' Momoshiro deadpanned. 'Moreover she's a really good fighter! Would she really go for a boyfriend _who can't even save his own ass_?' he pointed out. 'Oh come on! That's practically a rule in the 'Fighting Rulebook' if there's any!'

'Yeah! You tell him Momo!' Ryoma cheered, glad for Momo siding with her. The other senpais and Nanjiroh exchanged looks at this.

Oh crud.

Up on the roof, Hiei snorted. Kuronue, get a BOYfriend? Oh puh-leeze...then again in Makai, with the rarity of females, males tended to procreate with EACH OTHER after evolving with the necessary equipment. Heck, even he can get pregnant if dominated by his mate, if he'd have any someday.

xxx

Koenma knew he would have another person to provide Limiter Bracelets. Two boys with spiritual powers have high prides regarding the Tennis Sport, and there's no way they'd let their powers influence their game. First Ryoma-that was because she didn't want to become a demon too soon and enjoyed her human life. Yukimura-Ryoma did NOT want the tournament scouts to find him and force him to fight and Tezuka...all fair in everything, no Reiki allowed in Tennis.

'Jeez, how many more will pop up?' Koenma almost whined in his desk as he had another pair of bracelets, and various spells on his desk. 'It's hard making Limiters, dammit! If only those two would be future agents, I wouldn't have a problem with this.'

xxx

Ryoma indeed missed the Intra-Ranking Tournaments by being ill. She was back as a Non-Regular for this, but had she not been ill, she would have been a Regular with someone else demoted. But she didn't mind and so did the other Regulars. In fact...she had been using her free time to double their work, and even aided Inui in making nastier concoctions that even made Tezuka pale with fright-not that he showed it of course. That, and train Kurama hard on his stamina for THAT tournament, and fight her.

A week later, Tezuka and Oishi had gone for the Kantou Tournament Placement Selection Meeting. When the buchou and fukubuchou were back...

'Well? Who will be our first opponent for the Kantou Tournament?' Ryuuzaki asked the two who returned to the courts as everyone stopped whatever they were doing to listen to the two.

'Our first opponent...will be Hyoutei Gakuen.' said Tezuka as the others froze. Some even dropped their rackets.

'Aiya...monkey-blimp right off the bat?' Ryoma blinked. 'This oughta be interesting.'

'Monkey-blimp?' Kawamura croaked. 'What does THAT have to do with Hyoutei?'

'She and Atobe are cousins through their mothers who happen to be twin sisters.' Ryuuzaki deadpanned, much to the others' disbelief.

'EHHHH?'

'Oh, they don't know huh?' Kurama blinked owlishly.

'That's not something you'd know everyday.' Ryoma shrugged. 'Ah hell. Back to work Shuichi.' she said as he raised her racket.

'R-right...' the redhead croaked when suddenly, a limo made its way into the school grounds, up to the Tennis Courts.

'Whoa!'

'N-now what?' Inui choked out. It's no news that Atobe is fabulously wealthy and he's the only person they know who OWNS a limo since 1st Year. Said guy came out.

'Yo Ryuuzaki-sensei...mind if I borrow my cousin for a bit?' Atobe greeted as he waltzed his way in.

'What for monkey-blimp?' Ryoma asked him as Atobe yelled in comical annoyance, 'Don't call me that! Anyway, auntie asked me to take you out, so take a shower missy! Hut-hut!' he ordered as he pointed outside the courts.

'Go to where first, monkey-blimp?' Ryoma grunted in annoyance.

'It's a secret and we're supposed to meet our moms! Now scat!'

'I'll really inflate your blimpy head with helium for this, monkey-blimp! I'm busy dammit!'

'Don't call me that, you brat!' the whole club sweatdropped as the girl left the courts for a shower.

'Uhhh...' everyone else croaked as a cold wind blew past them, along with a few leaves. This was one thing you'll rarely see everyday.

'Jeez...' Atobe sighed in exasperation as he scratched his head. 'I'm going to get gray hairs with that girl and to think I barely knew her...'

'Er Atobe, you already have gray hair since from the beginning.' Fuji pointed out with a chuckle.

'I know that! I meant, 'old people' gray hair not MY gray hair!' Atobe grumbled in annoyance as he crossed his arms. 'So Tezuka...I heard from ojisan that she's been sick...?' the Regulars exchanged looks.

'She fell ill from lack of sleep.' said Tezuka. 'So for now we took her off the Regulars to rest and be back again next Intra-Ranking.' he explained.

'Lack of sleep? The heck did that happen? Last I check she doesn't watch TV!'

'She DOES have a Playstation nya...' said Kikumaru. 'That could be it. She's playing Final Fantasy VII when we visited.'

"That could be a good excuse..." Inui thought.

xxx

'So Ryoma, we're going to meet our mothers in a nice restaurant of their choice for something they won't even say.' said Atobe. He took note that she wore a gakuran and boys' shoes...

'Oh great! So much for catching up on work.' Ryoma grumbled in a huff. 'Well, where are we eating?'

'We're almost there actually.' sure enough, they were in a classy restaurant.

'And what we're wearing is OK in a place like this?' Ryoma deadpanned as they went inside.

'It's OK. We pay don't we?' Atobe drawled snidely as they looked for their mothers. But they weren't there yet.

'Ugh.'

'Looks like our mothers aren't here yet.' said Atobe. 'So we'll go to our reserved table and start with a few drinks or something.' he shrugged as they went to sit on a table for four. They waited for a bit, when all of a sudden, Atobe's phone rang. He saw a text message on his LCD...

'Ryoma,' said Atobe grimly. 'Our mothers are in a bank to withdraw money...but they're in a bank robbery hold-up as hostages.' he took note that Ryoma's eyes changed. Her expression went frigid and ready to kill. 'And for some reason, auntie asked for you.'

'Where is this bank?' Ryoma asked him coldly, causing Atobe to flinch.

'Nishitamachi Bank at 8th street which is a block away from here...h-hey?' Atobe yelped as his cousin ran off. 'Ryoma, wait!'

xxx

Nishitamachi Bank...

'Gasp...I can't believe you ran all the way here, you're nuts! We should have taken a cab!' Atobe hissed while gasping to catch his breath as they were at some Alley with the bank surrounded by Police.

'No time for that and there's no nearby cabs.' Ryoma grumbled as she stealthily crossed the street, with Atobe following her. They entered a back alley with a back door leading to the bank.

'I can't believe some police didn't think of this.' Atobe lamented as Ryoma was picking the lock. 'They're all idiots!'

'Well, less trouble for us, we can go get our mothers through the back door.' Ryoma snorted.

'By the way, you know how to pick locks?'

'Mother has an awful bad luck of getting into messes like this once in a while.' Ryoma deadpanned as she picked the lock successfully. 'Someone has to know stuff like this.'

'Humm...that could be a useful skill.' Atobe frowned. 'Teach me that after this mess, would you?'

'Right...' Ryoma sweatdropped. 'Anyhow, when I tell you to stay, stay, alright? I don't know about your fighting skills and timing in dodging bullets so if your skills are crap, don't bother and leave the rest to me.' she instructed.

'And _you_ can?' Atobe asked her incredulously.

'I did this once before on my first month in Seigaku with perfect ease.' Ryoma snorted. 'This oughta be fun. Just watch this master at work.' Atobe wondered what the hell were they teaching this kid, as Ryoma took out surveillance cameras with a small gun with paint balls.

'Hey, you always armed?' Atobe frowned.

'You could say that.' Ryoma smiled at his disarmingly but Atobe knew NOT to be fooled by this cute face. Nope, no siree. They trekked through a seeming maze of hallways until they got to the vaults where the robbers were, forcing a few employees to put money in the bags. The two looked discreetly from the corner.

'Crap, those guys are armed...' Atobe fidgeted nervously as Ryoma materialized lucha libre masks under her Gakuran, which she pulled out and handed one to her cousin. 'Hm?' he blinked as he got a black mask with eye and nose holes. But unlike typical lucha masks, it got no mouth holes.

'Put this on. This way, uniforms be damned, as long as no one sees our face, it's OK.' said Ryoma as she put her mask on. 'To prevent future retribution of course. Now watch me at work.' she grinned as she lifted her pant legs to reveal a wrap-around holster containing throwing knives. Atobe wondered if her parents knew of this OR where the heck she gets these things. She took them all out as she leapt to the middle of the hallway and aimed at their arms or hands as she ran towards them.

Atobe winced as the small blades stabbed in their limbs, causing them to yelp in pain, but before they got louder, Ryoma somehow got batons out of her sleeves and whacked them out-cold by hitting their back or stomachs hard. She then retrieved her blades.

'Hey mister, if you got ropes and a duct tape, make it snappy. We're shutting them up and tie their limbs.' Ryoma instructed in a deep voice. 'Then use the back door that the idiotic police didn't think of and have them get these idiots into the slammer AFTER you give me what I asked for. Comprende?'

'Eh uh...r-right.' the employee squeaked as he ran off to do as told, while Ryoma took away their machine pistols, knives and a few grenades while humming a song.

'Oy cousin, watch over these, will ya? The police would want those toys as evidence.' Ryoma called out as she pushed the pile of weapons away from the unconscious robbers. 'On second thought, I'll borrow their knives just incase. I only have twelve knives on me and who knows how many are they in the main lobby...'

'Er...right...tell me how the heck were you so good at this outta the blue?' Atobe choked out as he PALED at the sight of the machine pistols and grenades on the floor.

'Humm...I guess I watched a lot of movies and I played with the ideas at the beach behind my house when we used to live in America...' Ryoma chuckled. 'It got useful now.'


	29. Lunch Date of Chaos

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Lunch Date of Chaos<p>

After getting the required items from the employee, Ryoma tied their wrists and legs together in a way they can't wriggle out of, and shut their mouths with duct tape. 'Yosh! get the police in here now!'

'I got ahead of that. I phoned the Police HQ to tell them about the back door while you're busy giftwrapping those guys. They'll be here any second now.' said Atobe as they ran for it and sure enough, when they turned into the next corner, several heavy footsteps came along...

'Hey! These guys are all wrapped up!'

'Who did this though?'

'Ah who cares but still, we should've thought that every buildings would have a back door...'

xxx

By the Main Lobby...Atobe knew this is the most dangerous stage...how will his cousin pull this off was beyond him. There's no hiding places for her to hide to attack! 'Ryoma, how will you do this?'

'Humm...oh, I got this!' Ryoma chirped as she took out...two guns.

'Hey! I thought you dumped them all in a pile?' Atobe yelped in a whisper as his eyes bugged at the guns, and Ryoma made sure their bullets were full, and she put on the silencers. 'Damn, maybe I should ask my father for lessons for this stuff too. You're strangely making me feel inadequate.' he deadpanned.

'It's never too late to learn and you're like what? 14? 15?' Ryoma snickered as she jumped up, and began firing at the guns the other robbers held, causing screams from the startled robbers and civilians who also started screaming. Ryoma took advantage of the confusion by running in there and began whacking them out cold with her batons after each robber attempted to fight her. She easily dodged their sloppy moves.

'Inane...it's pointless for big idiots like you to fight a small one like me. You'll never catch me!' Ryoma laughed smugly in her usual voice. 'We'll meet you two for dinner once we get outta here! Reinforcements as you request, ladies!' and Ryoma ran off and retreated with Atobe using another exit-the Fire Exit.

'Who's that boy talking about?' the hostages began murmuring at this. Rinko knew her daughter anywhere but WHERE did she learn how to use guns?

"That's it, I'm banning action films..."

xxx

Back outside...

'Whew, we barely managed to give the police the slip.' Atobe gasped as they were out in the streets, without their masks and he was combing his hair that got messed up by the mask. 'Ah, I'm so sweaty...stupid masks...' he complained.

'Shut up and be glad those media cameras did not get your face.' Ryoma deadpanned. 'Your school will be bothered due to your Hyoutei uniform, but good luck rooting you out. I know you can make a poker face.' Ryoma chuckled. 'As for Seigaku, well, lots of schools wear the same style of gakuran we do. Ma, let's wait for our mothers and get our dinner...'

Meanwhile, the incident was televised on that night's news...The Regulars who were at their homes instantly recognized their teammate at work at the bank...

"Oh man..."

"Aiya..."

"Oh my god, how did she do that?"

...amongst other thoughts, and they all made a note to ask their kohai about it.

xxx

Back at the Restaurant...

'We got here first...' Atobe mumbled. 'Our mothers are probably still giving their statements to the police or something.'

'Well, we wait then.' said Ryoma as an hour later, their mothers were inside, looking harassed but OK otherwise.

'Mothers! You're late!' Atobe called out to the twin women who looked sheepish.

'Sorry hunny, something happened...' Reiko squeaked weakly. 'We just got out of it.'

'All thanks to a hero in a mask.' Rinko winked at her daughter who smirked. 'I'm sure you kids are hungry after a long wait so for tonight, let's enjoy!'

xxx

Next day...a weekend...

Ryoma had to meet her cousin, again. This time, alone.

'Yo, Keigo.' Ryoma greeted. 'What'd you call me out for?'

'Due to yesterday's scuffle, we had zero time for what's supposed to come AFTER dinner.' Atobe deadpanned. 'And since our mothers are busy, I'm taking you out by myself.'

'To where?' Ryoma frowned.

'You'll see.'

And so, at the mall...Atobe approached a lady about something and told her a few words. She nodded and ran off. 'Monkey-blimp, what wazzat all about?' Ryoma frowned as Atobe smirked.

'Oh, you'll see. She'll be back in a few.' said Atobe as thirty minutes later, the lady was back.

'We have everything prepared, sir.' said the lady. 'Please follow us.' she led them...to a clothing store...for girls.

'O-oy oy Keigo! Is this what I think it is?' Ryoma yelped in alarm as she looked ready to run.

'This is on our mothers, Ryoma.' said Atobe. 'They got wind of your growth spurt, and asked me to accompany you shopping. They'll pay of course, and your mother DEFINITELY wants to see feminine clothes on you. Oh, your old ones are already auctioned off for charity as we speak.' Ryoma sputtered in alarm and horror at this.

'NANI?' due to that, Ryoma VERY RELUCTANTLY cooperated with clothing tryouts, with the store they went to nearly 300.000 yen richer, having bought a whole wardrobe in there, and that included shoes and accessories. Since they couldn't carry all THAT, Atobe phoned for delivery to Ryoma's house.

'Skirts...I'm seeing skirts...' Ryoma whimpered in morbid fear as she clung to Atobe in comical horror, causing him to sweatdrop.

"Dang, she really hates feminine wear if it made her of all people like this." Atobe thought wryly in amusement. 'Come on, we have one more stop. Snack time. All that shopping made me tired too you know, since I have to choose clothes that suited all four seasons of the year you know. Being a stylist is a hard job.'

'And what made YOU a stylist?' Ryoma grumbled as they went to Atobe's cafe of choice.

An Ice Cream Shop.

_Kei-chan, Ryoma won't be too happy about shopping, so take her to a nice ice cream parlor to cheer her up, OK?_ Rinko told him and Atobe remembered the information he got from his mother...ye gads. Sure enough...she was eating the shop out. Atobe can only stare in disbelief as she ate parfait after parfait, sundae after sundae and split after split...and he has YET to finish his own split of choice!

He was horrified and traumatized. How can all THAT fit INTO that tiny body of hers?

His question was never answered, yet afterwards...she was on a sugar high, bouncing around in speeds, and he had to chase after an out-of-control younger cousin. 'That's it, I'm never treating her out to ice cream alone! I need help in handling an out-of-control, sugar-high cousin!' he swore as he endured a royal run that day around the mall. Fortunately, Tezuka was accompanying his mother shopping in a confectioner's store...when Ryoma breezed past them giggling like a schoolgirl with the occasional baby-ish squeal.

'Tezuka! I need your help in containing your out-of-control kohai! I can't handle Ryoma alone!' Atobe yelled as he was ablout to get close to the Tezukas. 'She's had too much sugar and she's on the loose!'

'Oh crap...mother, I need to get my kohai.' Tezuka told his mother as Atobe ran past them in dismay. 'He can't handle a sugar-high cousin alone and she also happens to by my teammate.' he deadpanned.

'Just be back soon dear.' his mother chuckled. 'Dear lord knows that poor boy needs all help he can get.' and Tezuka ran off to help Atobe find Ryoma by sensing her ki...

xxx

Two Hours Later...

Ryoma finally ran out of energy after causing her two senpais to chase her all over the mall, giving them quite the marathon and they found her fast asleep...by Toyland, fast asleep with stuffed toys.

'Gasp...I'm so tired...I never ran this much in my whole life! Two freaking hours!' Atobe choked out as he and Tezuka gasped in exhaustion, both on their knees on the floor, very hot and sweaty. 'I'm never letting her have ice cream ever again! I'll DIE if I have to chase her again!'

'You let her have ice cream and this happened? That can't be. Impossible.' Tezuka deadpanned while struggling just to sit properly to rest better.

'Ryoma LOVES sweets.' Atobe continued as he gasped for air. 'I treated her out after we shopped for a new wardrobe...and she nearly ate out the ice cream shop we ate in. I'm not kidding! She ate 20 sundaes, 23 parfaits and 22 splits of different kinds...I'm never treating her out to a sweets shop alone, I'll die next time...I'm bringing Kabaji along for damage control! Mother and auntie should have warned me about this!' he ranted as he was slowly going mad. Tezuka sighed.

"I doubt Kabaji could do better." Tezuka thought wryly. One needed power to handle Ryoma and someone MUCH STRONGER than her.

Unfortunately, he didn't know anyone who fits the bill. He doesn't know Kurama's full strength, Yukimura's in the hospital, and Hiei is too far away...eating out Kawamura's shop with his sister. And he certainly cannot approach Urameshi and Kuwabara without repercussions to his reputation. After resting a little, Atobe called for servants to help them get home after explaining his situation. Poor Tezuka still had to help his mother shopping.

xxx

'That's what happened which is why I took so long.' Tezuka sighed wearily as he told his mother what he and Atobe put up with. 'I think I'll never let her touch ice cream in my time...we're sticking to sushi and strictly food restaurants.' he whimpered.

'Ohoho...you must have had fun dear.' his mother chuckled mischievously, causing her son to groan.

'I ran several laps all over the mall mother.' Tezuka deadpanned. 'To chase an incredibly fast, out of control kid. That's not fun at all. It nearly killed us both!' his mother just laughed. 'Mother!'


	30. Prime of Youth VS Capital of Ice

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Prime of Youth VS Ice Capital<p>

There was one thing Atobe learned during yesterday's Royal Run.

He had to improve his stamina before the games with Seigaku at the end of the month. But for his weekend, he'll rest his sore legs.

Three weeks to go before his team's game against Seigaku. Nanjiroh also gave them the same menu he did Seigaku in a bid to catch up to Rikkaidai who were Japan's strongest Middle Schoolers. But still, his own stamina wasn't good enough yet, if Ryoma can run for two hours laughing without losing her breath not even once, till she ran out of fuel!

xxx

Ryoma's house the next morning...

'Huh? How'd I get here?' Ryoma muttered as she got up from her bed. 'And my whole body is aching...what the hell happened? Urgh, I'll sleep it off!' and she fell back on her bed. Within seconds, she's out.

xxx

'Kunimitsu! It's already ten o'clock! This isn't like you to sleep in!' Tezuka's grandfather Kunikazu pounded on his grandson's door.

'Now now father, let him sleep.' Tezuka's mother Ayana smiled. 'He had quite a marathon yesterday at the mall.'

'What marathon?' Kunikazu blinked, wondering how that happened.

'A friend of his was chasing his out-of-control cousin on a sugar high, and he asked for 'Mitsu's help in controlling her.' Ayana explained with a smile. 'He then told me later that they ran all over all floors of the mall for two hours straight just to catch her. He's tired, let him sleep.'

'Uhhh...' the old man could only scratch his head.

xxx

By the end of the week...

'Ryoma!' Yukimura greeted, happy to see her again...but...he nearly doubled over. Gone was her tomboy-look but now...she's very cute! She wore a salmon pink dress and a white short jacket that ended by her midriff with matching headband, earrings and shoes. Her straight hair now sported tousled waves. 'Whoa!' he gasped, earning him an expression fit for a wake from the girl.

'Mother's in charge of my outfits AND hair until I'm used to wearing this crap on my own.' Ryoma growled much to Yukimura's amusement. 'She tossed my usual stuff to charity just so she could have an excuse to feminize my closet!' she huffily sat beside him. 'Well, how's it been while it's lights out? No shits-for-brains coming to this hospital?'

'Eh no. The Limiters and your barrier is working perfectly.' Yukimura smiled. 'And Tezuka kept me company.'

'Don't tell me he asked you for training tips while doing so...this month is dangerous right now.' Ryoma asked him anxiously.

'Well, yes but he just took notes. He's not practicing.' Yukimura reassured him. 'I'd have noticed an increase in his strength otherwise.'

'Sou ka.'

'Sore ni, a cute girl is checking in on me from time to time...cute, but one look at her I know she's no ordinary one.' said Yukimura thoughtfully. 'She had sea-green hair, red eyes and a shade of skin as if she never saw daylight.'

'That's Yukina-chan. The girl we rescued.' Ryoma told him. Ryoma only knew one person who fit the bill.

'Eh?' Yukimura realized that he had a freaking snow girl checking in on him since his mentor was ill.

'She's also good with barriers. She must have been checking if my designs weakened because I was out of it.' said Ryoma. 'Koorime are good with barriers, as well as turning idiots into frozen popsicles...that's assuming they had some fighting spirit, but their race hated violence and thus, they're easy to catch.' she sighed. 'The way they're going they're going to die out, and they only have children every hundred years...'

'One child every hundred years...?' Yukimura blinked.

'Yup. Every hundred years after puberty, they reproduce through asexual reproduction, meaning, they only have daughters who are literal clones of themselves.' Yukimura gaped at this. 'It's rare that koorime gets involved with a man as they feared men as men are linked to violence. Should they get involved with a man, they end up having twins, disregarding the hundred-year cycle. However...both twins are always fraternal...and still clones of their parents. The koorime daughter is a clone of her mother, and the other child being a clone of his or her father, as a koorime's 'equipment' enables them to only reproduce asexually thus it separates genes from the mother and father. There's no such thing as pregnancy like ours with them.'

'Yukina is somewhere along ninety years old I hear...once she hits a hundred, she'll have her first baby despite physically appearing around human 12-14 years old.' Ryoma finished her lecture. 'Such an interesting life, no?'

'It won't be fun if my future kids look too much like me. I'd want variety.' Yukimura deadpanned as the two chatted on...

xxx

Days went by ticking...with Hiei taking care of the scouts for her to give her time to train Kurama up to snuff in his stamina by the Tennis Courts in Seigaku...then one day, the day before Hyoutei...in the hospital room with Yukimura...

'Ryoma.' Koenma appeared before them. 'So far, you successfully managed NOT to get recruited.' Ryoma sighed in relief at this. 'But as a precautionary measure, I put you in as a substitute member.'

'Ehhhh?'

'Don't worry, substitutes only come out if one of the Main Members die.' Koenma pointed out. 'And you trained Yusuke and Kuwabara well before they met Genkai. They won't die that easily. Hiei and Kurama are way out of the youkai's league, so they'll be fine.'

'Sou ka. Well, my months will be very busy so they better not have any member die.' Ryoma grumbled. 'I better be called ONLY for a good reason.'

'I know I know...tokoro de, about Yukimura's ability...how will you train it? It won't be long now before his parents earn the money needed, right? Only 10 percent left to go and it's the Kantou Finals by then.' Yukimura was startled that the young god knew when he'll get his surgery...and by Kantou Finals...?

'I got a few ideas.' said Ryoma. 'In the meantime, I'll train Tezuka on the basics. The dangerous period is over.'

xxx

'So that's how it is.' said Tezuka as Ryoma was sitting on his windowsill by his room. 'My lessons will now begin.'

'Yes...be prepared because I'm NOT cutting you some slack...' Ryoma grinned ferally. 'We'll start with the basics after our match against Hyoutei. We need all energy we can get.' Tezuka nodded sagely. 'Oh, and do NOT train alone. Wait for me until you're at least, D-Class to train on your own.' and she disappeared.

"I'll finally have my power." Tezuka thought as he looked at his hands. 'I'll have to wait a little while longer.'

xxx

Next day was their match against Hyotei...

'Alright everybody...off with your weights.' Ryoma instructed as everyone took their weights off. 'Unlike you guys, I don't know much about the monkey-blimp's team, so to be safe, play at your fullest on this one. We have no more issues with Doubles I believe?' she asked them.

'That's pretty much it.' said Kawamura. 'We came up with so many doubles pairs with Minamino-san's help and we practiced a lot using those pairings...we'll be fine so what's the pair we'll use in today's match, besides the Golden Pair?'

'We'll go.' said Inui as he gestured at himself and Kaidoh. 'We prepared a lot for today so we can see how well we work. As Ryuuzaki-sensei said, finding a good pair is through experimentation in real matches as there's no such pressure in practice ones. This is thus a good opportunity to test our pairing.'

'Very well.' Ryuuzaki nodded. 'You guys better win on this one. By the way, where IS Oishi? We only have fifteen minutes left!' Ryuuzaki grumbled. 'If he's not here by then, he's out!'

'Maybe he went to help a pregnant woman or something?' Ryoma suggested jokingly.

'Don't be an idiot, there's no way he'd land such a case on him!' Ryuuzaki grunted as she took out her phone. 'Oishi! Where are you now? Ehhhh? You helped a pregnant woman to the hospital?' the whole club sweatdropped.

'I meant that as a joke...' Ryoma croaked while twitching.

'Oh man...Ryoma, Oishi won't make it. He had his wrist broken from supporting the woman's weight.' Ryuuzaki told her. 'He asked that you replace him.'

'Wakatta.' Ryoma nodded.

'Hime-chan will be my partner...then who'll be in the Reserves just incase?' Kikumaru wondered aloud.

'I'll take the Reserve. Momo should play with Kikumaru.' Ryoma corrected him. 'I have my eye on the monkey's Captain Successor. He'll be in the Reserves for sure. Might as well sample the goods while it's still early. Heh.' she smirked ferally.

'The way you say it...' Momoshiro sweatdropped.

'How can you be sure that he'll be in the Reserves?' Ryuuzaki deadpanned as Ryoma merely tut-tutted.

'I have my ways. Ufufufufu...'

'She's getting scary again.' Fuji chuckled as Tezuka was twitching. They have yet to learn how scary she can really be and he'd know better than ANYONE, considering what he put up with not long ago. 'Ah, they're here they're here.'

'Go out there men!' Ryuuzaki ordered as the eight regulars trooped out to the courts to meet Hyoutei.

/The match between Seishun Gakuen and Hyoutei Gakuen will now begin!/ the commentator announced.

'Oy brat, you sure you can play?' Atobe frowned at his cousin.

'No need to worry, I'll be at the bench, monkey-blimp.' Ryoma told him, earning the former snickers from his teammates.

'Monkey-blimp?' Shishido chuckled.

'Shut it, you.' and they went for their respective sides of the courts.

Hyoutei:

D2: Oshitari-Mukahi  
>D1: Shishido-Ootori<br>S3: Kabaji  
>S2: Akutagawa<br>S1: Atobe  
>Reserve: Hiyoshi<p>

Seigaku:

D2: Kikumaru-Momoshiro  
>D1: Inui-Kaidoh<br>S3: Kawamura  
>S2: Fuji<br>S1: Tezuka  
>Reserve: Echizen<p>

Game Start.


	31. The Match of Legends

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>The Match of Legends<p>

Atobe watched Seigaku closely.

All of them sported toned and well-trained and pronounced-yet very lean muscles just like they do, despite the exception of Kabaji and Kawamura-who were powerhouses, thus were more muscular than their teammates, Inui who followed by a close second, and Ryoma-being a girl, bulky muscles will forever shoot down her chances at getting a boyfriend and affect marriage chances but her muscles were well-developed for a girl. No bulk but she is still toned with no hint of baby fat whatsoever. Her specialty is speed afterall, being the Iron Wall of Seigaku's Defense.

This should be interesting.

'Ryoma-san, why'd d you choose to be in Reserve? Your spot is usually Singles 3!' her classmates who were also Freshmen in the club, Horio protested, along with Kachiro and Katsuo.

'Hyotei's Singles 3 is Kabaji. Try and picture me going against that giant. I'll earn this team a loss and an injury on my part which we can't afford at a time like this.' Ryoma drawled. 'The only person in our Regulars who can face him is Taka-san and Momo to a limited extent. Everyone else will get broken wrists. It's simply strategic planning by choosing who you'll play well or lose against.'

'She's right. Our opponent this time is also a 1st Seed School. We need all our best cards we can get.' said Inui. 'That and whoever loses will not go to the Nationals as we are working on gathering Kanto's Best 4.'

On the other side...

'Yo, Atobe. She's in the bleachers this time when she did well against Fudoumine, St. Rudolph and Yamabuki?' Oshitari asked Atobe.

'She fell ill and missed the Intra-Rankings.' said Atobe. 'She must have recovered some but put on Reserves as Precaution judging by their stance alone. But what happened to Oishi? He's not around and Ryoma's in his place...' he wondered with a thoughtful frown.

'Something must have happened then.' said Ootori. 'Either way, doesn't look good for them. Who knows what happened to Oishi and your cousin might be still ill...' he frowned in concern.

'She sure doesn't look ill to me.' Gakuto deadpanned.

"Yeah, how can you call a person who gave you one hell of a royal run ill?" Atobe thought wryly.

xxx

The games continued. An Acrobatic Showdown occurred in Doubles 2 and they barely won. Inui and Kaidoh had difficulty in returning Ootori's Scud Serve and it soon began a battle of endurance. 1 win 1 loss for both teams as a result. Now it was Kawamura against Kabaji, the two powerhouses of both teams. But Kabaji's Tennis was 'Mirror Tennis'...his moves are his opponents' moves. It was thus a Hadokyuu VS Hadokyuu match...

'It'll end in a No-Game.' Ryoma muttered with a frown as with her critical eye, she could see the trembling of their arms. 'They're about to reach their limits. I don't know from whom or where Ishida of Fudoumine learned Hadokyuu from and now Taka-san and Kabaji using the same move...it's clear that their arm, elbow and wrist strength is still not good enough to use Hadokyuu like one's 'usual moves'. They need to train their skeletal and muscular structure in the arms more for this and to think I thought Taka-san's level was already OK...'

'No-Game, huh?' Ryuuzaki frowned. And as Ryoma predicted, both Kabaji and Kawamura had bloodied hands. Their game was indeed declare No-Game and had to go to the Infirmary.

'Taka-san, Kabaji! Get your butts over here this instant!' Ryoma barked, calling to the two powerhouses who blinked. 'Let me see your hands.'

'Eh? Uh sure.' Kawamura blinked.

'Usu.' they did so and Ryoma checked their injured hands. Ryoma frowned.

'The two of you will rest your playing arms for a week. You overexerted your elbow joints and forearm muscles in that continuous Hadokyuu match. Add the power impacts both of you endured your arms will definitely shake you won't be able to hold anything properly for a while. But we can be thankful that your wrists and finger bones did not break and these cuts are superficial. A simple first aid can fix this and your cuts will completely heal in a few days on their own depending on how good your metabolism is so Taka-san, no working with sushi either and keep your hand dry. Keep your arms warm with heated compress bags. Cold bags will just make the shaking worse.'

'Hai...'

'Get your asses to the clinic.' Ryoma smiled as Ryuuzaki got up.

'I'll take these two along.' she offered as she looked at Coach Sakaki of Hyoutei who nodded and they left.

'Heee...so you're doctor too, Hime-chan?' Kikumaru beamed as he glomped her.

'Well, you know very well that I'm good at sensing these things.' Ryoma smiled mysteriously. 'And considering my profession, I know my injuries well.' the Regulars blanched at this. Her 'profession' was protecting the human world from demons.

Next was Fuji against Jiroh. A silent genius against an excitable, quick-footed volley specialist. Fuji was forced to reveal his Third Triple Counter as Jiroh. But Fuji pulled off something unexpected after allowing Jiroh only one game. He hit the ball with a super slice lob with such extreme backspin that as soon as it passes over the net on to the opposite court, it curves upwards out of sight, than it falls straight down, and it flies back to the user's hand.

"This must be Hakugei but there's a weakness in this technique." Ryoma thought as she performed a mental simulation in her mind. "It can't be used without the wind as the wind was blowing towards his direction at the same time the ball bounces back to him. It can also be returned if the opponent is fast enough to hit the ball as it flies back to Fuji's hand. However, he can also change the direction of the ball after it hits the opponent's court, either to go with the direction of the wind or to lessen the chance of a return." she thought critically. "Does he know this or not, when he thought of it?"

/Game Set! Won by Fuji! 6-1!/

'Now it's 2 wins, one loss and one No-Game.' said Oishi as he just arrived, startling most of them. 'Sorry I took long...uncle treated my injury after an X-Ray.' he said sheepishly.

'Mou~with the nationals around the corner, we can't afford to get broken bones.' Ryoma grumbled. 'If we win against Hyoutei at a situation like this, the next threat is Rokkaku and then Rikkaidai. We need to be at our best, not at our worst. Tokoro de...a lot of people wants to see your show, buchou. We got company.' she smirked as a lot of other schools came to see a match between Captains.

'Uwaa! The 3rd Seed Rokkaku from Chiba!' Kikumaru exclaimed as he saw the red jerseys.

'Yamabuki came to watch too.' said Momoshiro. 'Uwaaa, you're popular buchou!' he exclaimed in amazement.

'Lots of schools came to scope out this match.' said Inui. 'The sight of this is quite overwhelming.'

'It's our turn to make this decisive score, Tezuka.' Atobe smirked as the two Captains came to the courts. 'You had better not gotten weak.'

'Hn.' Atobe raised his finger and his cheering squad began cheering on top of their lungs again.

'Impressive on how monkey-blimp trained them well.' Ryoma drawled wryly with a sweatdrop. 'Had he been in the army, he'd make one hell of a General.'

'That's a horrifying prospect.' said Momoshiro with a sweatdrop as the game began. Everyone watched with bated breath as the two captains began playing a high-level Tennis...and as the game continued...everyone froze and realized something which came to light.

'H-hey...to think they're playing this long...is Tezuka's arm gonna be OK?' Kikumaru choked out.

'Now that you mention it, he's playing at his best with Atobe and he has yet to wince from the strain...and he's been using Drop-Shots.' Inui muttered.

'Actually...this is something the three of us kept secret as a trump card.' Oishi smirked. 'Tezuka's arm has been healed long ago.'

'NANIII?'

'Since when?' his teammates burst out.

'It was during his request to play Ryoma-chan to test her level.' said Oishi. 'Ryuuzaki-sensei gave him the go on the grounds that he's in a good enough condition to. And Uncle gave him the green light. His Tennis Elbow is fully healed.' his other teammates gaped at this.

'And who knows of this?' Fuji asked him seriously. He should have known of this!

'Me, Ryoma-chan who experienced Tezuka's best on their unofficial match, and sensei. This was what we agreed on.' said Oishi. 'Sensei thought of many things, in using Tezuka's injury to the advantage of the team. Through many reasons she forbade us from saying, this excuse made everyone train seriously, and improve in leaps and bounds, so we wouldn't end up relying on Tezuka. Instead, with our improvements, we can support him and for Tezuka not to take all pressure and burden on himself for the sake of the team. If we can all support him by working as a team instead of relying on him too much, we can reach the Nationals with everyone's effort instead of counting on one person.'

'Sorry guys, that we had to keep this.' said Ryoma apologetically. 'It was a gamble we managed to pull off on our part.'

'Mou...' Kikumaru pouted indignantly. 'This is pretty mean you guys!'

'I agree.' Momoshiro grumbled. 'There had better not be anymore surprises after this!'

'Hai hai.' Oishi smiled.

The games continued, eventually descending into a Tie-Break as this was the first time that Tezuka got to play seriously once more, against a fellow National-Level Player no less. On his first few matches against low-level schools, he finishes the matches quick as to not put a burden on his arm until Ryoma healed him completely.

What Oishi and the others didn't know about, something only between Ryoma, Tezuka and Yukimura...is that Ryoma healed his arm with her powers. Soon...the Tie-Break took so long...almost two hours. It was a breath-taking match many people felt they could watch forever. However, due to Tezuka's condition and Atobe's stubborness...it lasted two more hours until both Captains finally got burned out, resulting in another No-Game. But still...it earned a thundering roar of applause from the spectators who were very impressed.

'Man...this is just like that day, ahn?' Atobe chuckled as their teams helped them up. 'We both got burned out after one hell of a royal run at the mall last weekend.'

'This is worse than that...I don't know how long we played.' Tezuka pointed out wearily as both of them were so hot and burned out.

'Four hours and 35 minutes, to be exact.' said Inui, much to the captains' disbelief as their teams nodded solemnly. 'But...Royal Run? The two of you?'

'On a saturday, our mothers asked me to take Ryoma out shopping.' Atobe told them. 'She wasn't too happy as unlike females we know, she loathed shopping.'

'Damn right I do...I would have run away if it wasn't what I'll face when I get home.' Ryoma growled. 'Then you took me out for ice cream but after a few servings, I kind of blacked out...what happened? I don't remember anything. All I remember is waking up on my bed extremely sore!' she pointed out. Atobe and Tezuka exchanged mournful looks.

'You ate a lot...you ate 20 sundaes, 23 parfaits and 22 splits of different kinds I'm wondering where the hell you put all that.' Atobe grumbled. 'And you ate it all like a man possessed I'm guessing you blanked out by then.'

'Ehhh? She ate all that?' Gakuto paled as Ryoma looked thoroughly clueless at that point.

'I did?'

'YOU DID!' Atobe yelled with a comical fanged bighead. 'I barely managed to pay our bills while on the verge of running after you since you began bouncing around and running randomly, giggling and squealing like a baby!' There's no way they could picture THAT on their boyish teammate. 'And you ran at full speed making me wonder if that's what made you Seigaku's Iron Wall of Defense! You were 15 meters ahead of me despite my fastest, and I endured running all over five floors of the mall until I got Tezuka to help me out but even then, we couldn't catch you! For two freaking hours! We had to wait until you ran out of gas and you fell asleep in Toyland by the stuffed toys section!'

Ryoma looked horrified and blushed beet red as everyone gaped at Ryoma with owlish expressions of disbelief.

'We were so burned out by then. This feeling is very similar on that day.' Tezuka sighed wearily. 'Only this time, my arms also feel like jelly. I believe sleep is in order and three days off.'

'I agree. I don't know what's worse to be honest and I'm never treating you out ever again unless I have reinforcements!' Atobe groused out.

'Hey! I'm not that bad monkey-blimp!' Ryoma cried indignantly, red-faced and horrified at what she unknowingly did.

'Alright kids, enough.' Coach Sakaki deadpanned. 'Atobe, Tezuka, off to the infirmary with you! It's time for the 6th Reserves Match and it's been announced already!'

'Ehhh right.' and the two teams left, leaving their reserves on the courts.

'Mou...I had no idea that happened...it was a total blank by then.' Ryoma sighed with a blush as she shook hands with Hiyoshi.

'If even that stoic captain of yours complained, it must be true.' Hiyoshi drawled while looking considerably pale while going for the baselines. Everyone mentally agreed that if they were ever to date her, never let her go anywhere near sweets.


	32. Brother and Status she didn't know about

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Brother and Status she didn't know about<p>

Hiyoshi knew he must take his match seriously. In that seemingly pointless discussion, Atobe had warned him about Ryoma which he caught. He warned him about her speed.

'Yo.' Ryoma greeted as she bounced the ball three times. 'Here I go!' and she served her trademark Twist Serve to always start her game whenever she had to serve first. And as always, it was powerful with a high-level spin to it. It took Hiyoshi nearly a whole game to get used to the speed and power to return it. 'Ohya? You're the first guy I met who managed to get used to it after three turns...as expected of monkey-blimp's successor no?'

'This is a match for Gekokujou! I'm taking you down!' Hiyoshi challenged as he returned that serve.

'I'd like to see you try!'

'That's not her usual Twist Serve.' Kikumaru muttered.

'Yeah, it was a bit weaker than usual...she would have indirectly punched his face otherwise.' said Kaidoh with a snort.

'She hit it at a level where it can be returned on purpose...' Momoshiro smirked as Ryoma's poise changed...and she pulled off Tezuka's Zero-Shiki Drop Shot, making her club pale.

'She pulled off buchou's Zero-Shiki Drop Shot!'

'Ohya, she picked up a few things herself.' Fuji smiled as Hiyoshi's stance changed. Ryoma took note that he's finally getting serious. That and his stance...

"Martial arts?" She thought as the groupies cheered, 'THERE IT IS! HIYOSHI-SAN'S ENBU TENNIS! UOOOOH!'

'In that case...' Ryoma also changed her stance. The stance she uses when she's about to fight with her trademark weapons. 'You're not the only one who knows how to fight.'

'Interesting!' Hiyoshi barked as their tennis styles changed.

'Hey! Her style changed from the usual too! What's she doing?'

'...their stances are strange...Echizen never used that stance in our club.' Momoshiro said thoughtfully. 'I think if it wasn't for those rackets...I think they're fighting!'

'Hiyoshi must have come from a family who has a dojo...and we know that Ryoma-chan is very good at fighting...' Kikumaru paled. 'They're fighting using Tennis instead of having a game!' he exclaimed.

'Ehhh?' and they all looked at the game closely.

'Now that you mention it...they're fighting!' Kaidoh sweatdropped. 'And she's having fun.'

'But she better finish this fast...we need to win.' Momoshiro moaned. 'Hime-chan! This is our last chance! Win!'

'Yeah yeah, don't get your boxers in a bunch!'

'I won't let you!' Hiyoshi cried as he played harder and harder and Ryoma responded in kind. She was tricking the others into thinking she was at the same level as Hiyoshi but she slowly increased her strength, until she gained points off him and became the Iron Wall. She pushed Hiyoshi to his limits on purpose to see his levels...until she had seen enough, and trashed him, ending the game in 6-5.

/Game and Set, won by Echizen! 6-5! Overall with 3 wins, 2 losses and 2 no-games, Seigaku wins!/ the Seigaku Tennis Club cheered loudly as the commentator called out, /Both teams line up please!/

'Bow! Thank you very much!'

xxx

To Sanada, Yanagi and Kirihara who came to watch...

'That was just like watching a movie!' Kirihara exclaimed. 'Coming to see Tezuka's match was worth it!' he cried in amazement. 'A match that lasted for four freaking hours!'

'Indeed, but none of us expected that he was keeping his arm injury healed a secret trump for this occasion...we have to be more wary of him now.' said Yanagi.

'Yes but soon, we will have Yukimura back.' said Sanada as they turned to leave. And soon, the officials decided that the Second Round will be held in One Week from now. The scoreboard read:

Rikkaidai VS Ginka-won by default-Ginka was carried off to the hospital for food poisoning. Second round is against Nashigari Gakuen who won against Kasumi Daiyon at 5-0.

Fudoumine VS Itoguruma-5-0. Second round is against Yamabuki who won against Ikari at 4-1.

Rokkaku VS Ooguchiminami-5-0. Second round is against Kyouyou who won against Aihara Daichi at 4-1.

Seigaku VS Hyoutei-2-3. Second Round is against Midoriyama who won against Jyousei Shounan at also 2-3.

xxx

'You played with Hiyoshi.' said Tezuka flatly as they were on the bus home.

'Ah, you saw it?' Ryoma smirked darkly.

'What do you mean? Of course she played with him nya? She's his opponent!' Kikumaru pointed out.

'What Tezuka-buchou means,' Ryoma spoke in her real voice as she glomped Tezuka's left arm again, 'Is that I only played at Hiyoshi's strength and skill-level. I would have finished him off quick if only Rikkaidai and Rokkaku wasn't watching. As if I'd show those high-level schools what I usually do!'

'Rikkaidai and Rokkaku neh?' Ryuuzaki sighed. 'Never saw them. I was too engrossed with the match after returning with Kawamura and Kabaji.'

xxx

Next day...in a limousine...

'Ehh? Bowling with everyone?' Ryoma crowed out. 'I can't come. I'm visiting relatives in Minato-ku and I'm in a car as we speak. Yeah...sorry guys.' she grinned sheepishly. 'Ask the old man if you like, sensei.' she gave-rather, threw her phone to Nanjiroh who caught it with ease.

'Yo old hag! Still alive to this day I see!' Nanjiroh greeted in his usual laid-back manner. 'We're gonna be on family business for two days' tops! Yeah...yeah...she'll be on time, don't worry!' and he put the phone down and threw it back at Ryoma who caught it and pocketed it.

'Sore ori...how in the nine hells can we afford to rent a limo? This must have cost big.' Ryoma wondered aloud as they were in a luxurious car. Even her sloppy-looking father looked sharply-groomed! 'All this just to visit relatives? Isn't this too much?' Nanjiroh and Rinko exchanged knowing looks at this.

'You'll know when we get there, Ryoma-chan.' Rinko smiled. 'There's someone we want you to meet there too.'

'Both of you are acting weird! Get talking already!' Ryoma whined.

'Ma ma, we're almost there, be patient...' said Rinko as she took out a black blindfold and blindfolded her daughter who swore a cacophony of swearwords. In English.

'Ryoma! Those words do NOT belong on a lady!'

xxx

Soon, after getting out of the car, her parents led her to the front door...of a freaking mansion. Not that she knew of it but all she knew is that she was in a large space, using her special hearing. They took her upstairs...and knocked on the door.

'Okaasan, otousan, we have Ryoma.' Nanjiroh spoke up.

'Ohhh she's here! Let her in!' and they opened the door. Ryoma felt her blindfold being undone and she had to focus her eyesight as it was fuzzy from being shut tight for a good hour and half. But she soon saw two pairs of elderly grandparents dressed smartly, and an older boy she never met before who strangely resembled her father except for the hair. He had her shade of hair. Cousin, perhaps? But no, her sense of smell said otherwise. If he is a cousin, he would have smelled like Atobe.

'Hey dad, is she the little sister I keep hearing about?' the guy spoke with a grin. Ryoma gasped at this and quickly wheeled in on her parents in fury so fast they swore they saw a blur. All they know is that she was raving mad.

'Why didn't I know that I had a brother?' she growled with a deadly vibe of fury emanating from her. Nanjiroh hid behind his wife as he knew full well what she could do, and his wife doesn't know! Rinko took a step forward to her furious daughter and placed a hand on her angry daughter's shoulders.

'Ryoma, we were going to tell you the truth now.' said Rinko. 'To be honest, you're supposed to know when you're 17 by family tradition. Even I was raised the same way along with your aunt.'

'What do you mean?' Ryoma growled coldly, with her ire raising by the minute. Rinko took a deep breath.

'By family tradition, the Takeuchi Family practices that if they have a son before a daughter, that son will live with his grandparents to learn how to manage the house. The daughter will be under strict watch by parents as they raise her under a humble upbringing as daughters take over the family business, and therefore must learn how low-class and middle-class citizens work and live, because our family business centers around them. We need to understand their needs and make it the family product to keep family wealth running. Before you and Ryoga, your brother were born, your aunt and I were the only children. We were both raised humbly as well to prepare us for managing our company and employees by knowing how to get along with them perfectly, and understanding customer demands.'

'But since your introduction party, Keigo warned us that you need to know sooner than traditional later.' Rinko continued with a sigh. 'Because at the time, usual kidnappers for ransom appeared and they saw you. That and you threw knives at them too.' Ryoma twitched at that. 'We know it's your handiwork sweetheart, you DID rescue me and a potential business partner on our first month in Japan. That and you're clueless on how to handle yourself in a party which we really need to rectify soon. In fact, Kei-chan commented that you're a bomb that can't blow up. You might accidentally offend the wrong people who could be valuable partners for you someday which was why we decided to tell you early on...that we're in fact, a very wealthy family.'

Ryoma's eyes rolled backwards and she fainted. 'Honey?'

'It's too much for her mom.' Ryoga deadpanned. 'Define how 'humble' of a lifestyle did she live because this is typical reaction.' he said as he tapped his foot on the floor.

'Sigh...well, we lived in a normal beach house in California and now a house by a temple in Tokyo...and her friends are all commoners too.' said Rinko. 'And she got along with them just fine.'

'We better try again when she wakes up.' said one of the old men. 'This time, slowly at a time. We just dropped everything.'


	33. Wealth she didn't know about

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Wealth she didn't know about<p>

Shortly after Ryoma recovered...she got to know her two sets of Grandparents. One from the rich and the other, from middle-class. She(had to) spent time with them first, before spending time with her older brother later.

Apparently, it's her mother who's the wealthy one. Her father came from Middle Class until he got wealthy in his own right, winning tournaments left and right till he got bored and got married. By then he was a famous billionnaire and ahem, respectable enough to marry a Takeuchi since he had fame, prestige, and money. And 1 million USD alone is 80 million yen and prize monies for the Grand Slams are huge. If converted to Japanese Yen, the Prize Monies per Grand Slam, is bordering on two BILLION yen and his personal net worth due to his fame in the Tennis Circuit alone, is HUGE. Yep, they're wealthy.

Her paternal grandparents, Echizen Ninzaburou and Takako on her father's side...and she can see where her father got his laid-back attitude from. They were just alike.

Her maternal grandparents, Takeuchi Ryuji and Nagisa were a bit 'uniform' and gently rebuked her masculine speech form but otherwise, treated her well...and recommended that she take lessons in femininity. No way in hell...but she had no choice. Then again, she can be who she wants in public, and just be the perfect princess while surrounded with the wealthy. For a whole day she put up with the old fuddy-duddies.

xxx

'Yare yare, you could have gone slow with this you know? Begin by spending lavishly till she perceives it as normal before the big boom.' Ryoga told his parents outside the room. 'Tokoro de, I'm pretty worried about that 'change in personality' jig. When did it start?' he asked them.

'We don't know.' said Rinko. 'The next day after moving into Japan, she spoke and acted like she was a man her whole life and no, she didn't emulate your father like some mini-me. At times, her eyes looked predatory and the air around her felt...dangerous. Then all of a sudden, when we never had her take lessons, she could fight like an expert and take on armed men. I thought she was watching action films to learn how to use a gun, only, we don't have a single one of those at home and what we DO have are comedy films. She also doesn't have books to learn from which is really strange. To think she used feminine speech before too.' she sighed. 'I'm pretty worried since. You just don't do a 180.' she said worriedly as Nanjiroh took note that his wife and son frowned. Should they know the truth? He would have to ask Ryoma about that before he drops the bomb on his family. That or if a demon shows up...

But the mere thought that his daughter has been fighting those things since she was SEVEN...and apparently, it got worse in Japan.

xxx

While Ryoma spent time with the elderly, Ryoga opened up a chat line with his younger cousin Atobe on their private line.

_**DaPrince:** Yo, you're FINALLY online KK._

_**Ore-samawaOu-sama:** You act as if I hadn't been online for YEARS. So, she finally at the main mansion eh?_

_**DaPrince:** Yeah. Now then, while she's spending time with the ol' folks, tell me recent information about my little sister._  
><em>When dad told us to watch the news on TV regarding the bank robbery incident, there's NO WAY we can believe that the<em>  
><em>Masked Kid who took on armed robbers is Ryoma even if mom and dad said so!<em>

_**Ore-samawaOu-sama:** I was there dumbass. We were supposed to wait for our mothers in the restaurant they reserved in_  
><em>when all of a sudden, Rinko-bachan sent us mail about the hostage taking in the bank they were in, and specifically asked<em>  
><em>for Ryoma at Nishitamachi Bank. She ran off all the way there, prompting me to run after her and damn, she's fast! I'm<em>  
><em>sure I told you about the Royal Run?<em>

_**DaPrince:** Ohhh I remember that one...and?_

_**Ore-samawaOu-sama:** We snuck into an alley and thanked the gods that the bank had a damn back door in the alley. We_  
><em>went there and Ryoma lockpicked the door to get in. Stupid police for not thinking of what we did...we navigated our way in<em>  
><em>the maze of the place until we got to the vaults, to see robbers getting the employees to fill their bags with money on<em>  
><em>gunpoint. Then I got wind that Ryoma's ARMED wherever she freakin' goes. She had a holster of throwing knives on her<em>  
><em>legs, hidden by her pants, and threw the knives ACCURATELY at the hands that held guns. While the mooks screamed in<em>  
><em>pain, Ryoma took out a retractable metal rod out of her sleeves and bashed them on the heads. She then removed their<em>  
><em>machine pistols, pistols, knives and grenades and moved them away, before she asked the employees to get her gum tape<em>  
><em>and ropes to tie them and shut them up with, before we moved to the Main Lobby. I was in hiding so the media didn't see<em>  
><em>me. By then I tipped off Police HQ to use the door we opened in the alley to retrieve the idiots we wrapped up, while the<em>  
><em>rest, you saw on live TV. I never had a cousin who could take on armed men and dash in fearlessly, with no qualms about<em>  
><em>personal safety, just caring about the fight. If provoked and angered, whoever did will be in a world of pain. Trust me.<em>

_**DaPrince:** ...I'm SPEECHLESS._

_**Ore-samawaOu-sama:** Just be glad she doesn't have guns. Last I checked, she didn't take one for souvenirs. Ryoga, since_  
><em>you're now living together, if you find yourself in trouble AND with Ryoma...you'll see what I mean.<em>

xxx

That night...in a spacious room...apparently, it's her freaking BEDroom now. All in feminine colors.

'There's no way I'm used to this crap.' Ryoma growled as she looked at her surroundings. 'What's even worse, I can't redecorate it to my style without mom getting on my case! This girly pink crap will drive me nuts! Aaargh!' she cried in frustration. 'This can't be happening! I hate pink and white! And what's with the girly-girl design of my room? I'm no barbie doll or polly pocket dagnabit! I'm redecorating whether they like it or not!' a few passing by maids heard her outburst outside and squeaked at her outrage and ran away. The third maid not far from them gulped.

It's her job to tell Ryoma that it's dinner time and the young miss...is in a very bad mood. She was about to knock when Ryoma yelled 'What?' the maid meeped at this.

'E-ehm ojousama, dinner's ready...' the maid squeaked nervously as Ryoma opened the door...dressed in a white polo shirt and pants of her gakuran uniform with her hair tied in a low ponytail came out.

'Dinner eh? Where's the dining room? Directions are good.' Ryoma asked the maid.

'Erm to the Central Wing with a big oak door with gold handle, ojousama. From getting down the stairs, turn left to get there.'

'Aa, sankyuu.' Ryoma jumped on the balustrade, and to the maid's horror, she jumped down for the first floor and landed perfectly on a squatting position with her left knee slowly touching the floor and her right knee nearly touching her chest. She then stood up, dusted herself, and walked to the aforementioned directions. Upon arrival there, many jaws gaped while her father burst out in laughter.

'Ryoma! What's with those clothes?' Grandma Nagisa choked out in morbid horror as Ryoga cracked out in laughter as his sister came dressed like a boy.

'The lace is itchy, I got a rash in my back so I think I'm allergic to the material. It's too breezy under that skirt threatening to show unmentionables with the right breeze oh, and wearing a dress fit for a Lolita Fashion Show is so not me.' all that, in her masculine speech and tone of voice, which she deepened to be her usual male voice in public. 'Just because I'm tossed in a mansion doesn't mean I change who I am in a blink and be some sissy prima donna! I'm not that shallow!' she declared with a 'I-say-I-mean-it' expression, with her arms crossed on her chest in her seat. 'If I'm that pathetic, I'd lose my friends before you can say Samurai Nanjiroh!'

'Ooh! Well said little sister!' Ryoga clapped in glee.

'Well, there you have it, Nagisa.' said Takako with a chuckle. 'But Ryoma-chan, speak like a proper lady please! The way you talk, I swear Ryoga-kun shrunk in size and put a wig on!' she chided playfully, causing the two siblings to sputter in an embarrassed, disbelieving expression.

'Baa-san!'

Dinner was eventful that night...

xxx

Monday...

'Alright ladies, can you do all this before I go home at ten tonight?' Ryoma asked a few maids as she handed them a bond paper with a drawing of her room...only, in different colors. 'On the back is the list of specifics.'

'Hai, ojousama.' they chorused.

'Thanks! I'll say good-bye to that eyesore of a pink and white girly-girl room tonight!' Ryoma whooped as she jumped off the balustrade, again to many collective horrors. When they looked, the tomboyish young miss was OK and walked out the door. Some of the maids looked at the maid who Ryoma talked to last night.

'You weren't kidding!' they chorused.

'I told you so!' the maid huffed. Nobody believed her that a twelve year old jumped off from the third floor unharmed. But to Ryoma's annoyance...a LIMO had to take her to school.

'A limo?' she choked, on the verge of fainting as said limo waited for her outside the door. Looks like being chaperoned to school wasn't her only worries yet. She was sure there'd be more when she gets home...

'Ohayo...' Ryoma greeted her senpai tiredly as she went to grab her clothes in her locker before dragging her feet to the bathroom to change.

'Did that family meeting go bad Echizen?' Oishi asked her worriedly.

'Let's just say I now know the feeling of a typical girl chucked to another world in some of those anime.' Ryoma sighed wearily. 'News flash, I'm still shocked.' and she closed the door behind her.

'It's official, she's now living in the family mansion.' Fuji quipped. They had known LONG AGO that Ryoma was rich, and her wealth kept from her until she was ready to know as the family didn't want her to grow up spoiled. 'She's not used to it.'

'I'll say, we've seen the beach house in california in her childhood pictures and her house near here when she was sick...she's used to that for years and now she went to 'another world' as she puts it.' Inui quipped.

'Well, there's no changing her as we like her the way she is.' Momoshiro grinned with his arms crossed on his chest. 'Frankly I'd be freaked out if she began speaking like a proper lady outta the blue.'

'I'm with you on that one nya.' said Kikumaru. 'She's the only girl I actually got along with.'

'Nobody can change overnight.' Tezuka told them. 'That's a fact. It'll take years before she acts as they wish.'


	34. Wonderful life note sarcasm there

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Wonderful life-note sarcasm there<p>

A week from now...training tripled. Especially on Kawamura and Momoshiro who were the team's heavy hitters as Kabaji taught them all a very good lesson, that someone out there is physically stronger than them. Their physical training tripled...skills aside. The others also had to undergo a rigorous physical conditioning and skills training in preparation for Rokkaku and Rikkaidai. Heck, Rikkaidai's been doing their regimen for three freaking years, they had to catch up! Seriously!

'I heard from Genichirou about your new...station in life.' Yukimura told her as she visited his room. 'But he had to wait for a while until he's confirmed a few things.'

'Understandable. We DID meet at that party and spent time together with the blimp rather than deal with people who won't get along with us.' said Ryoma. 'Well, I'm not too happy. I'd rather go back to my ol' simple life.' she sighed. 'My old house is just a block away from Seigaku and now I need a limo and a thirty-minute ride! That means waking up extra early!' she grumbled. 'And I had to hide the fact I'm rich by making my driver stop in the corner before we get to school so I can just waltz my way in the normal way.'

'I can imagine a life like that.' Yukimura giggled. 'Sneaking around as if you're about to do something naughty.'

'Oh shush, you.' Ryoma smirked and playfully pushed him, when Botan appeared in their room. 'Botan?'

'Ryoma-chan, we need you.' said Botan urgently. 'We need you for the finals against Team Toguro tomorrow!'

'Who died in the team?' Ryoma frowned worriedly. 'It had better not be the boys...' Botan bit her lower lip and fretted.

'Master Genkai died.' she choked out. 'She and Toguro had a private match on their own and Toguro killed her.' she whimpered, nearly bursting into tears. 'Yusuke took it hard as she was his teacher after you!'

'Sou ka...' Ryoma whispered softly, feeling sorry for Yusuke. 'Poor kid. A master to their student is as good as a parent, and considering what kind of person his actual mother is...Genkai would've made a better mom in comparison, strict ways of teaching aside.' she said before looking up. 'So I'm to replace her to complete that five team set? Did you and Koenma clear this up with the board?'

'Yes, we set everything up long before the tournament started.' Botan told her.

'I see...hey, can you arrange for...nine tickets?' Ryoma asked Botan as she held up nine fingers. 'My teammates and my father know everything. I want them to watch what I can do at my best. And could you make a videotape for Yukimura to watch? To normal humans, it's a concert of whoever his favorite J-Pop idol is but to humans with Reiki, a footage of the finals between Team Urameshi and Team Toguro.'

'Eh? B-but that would mean...' Botan choked out as Ryoma nodded as she materialized a piece of small paper and handed it to Botan...with the name of 'Kuronue' on it. Botan paled and she knew the ramifications this name would cause.

'My teammates and father accepted me whole-heartedly. My powers and my bloodstained hands since I was elementary.' Ryoma chuckled with a guilty-looking smile. 'I believe they're ready to know the real me. They deserve that much. Tell Koenma that.' the way she spoke it in such a subdued manner told Botan she's serious about this.

'A-alright...I'll be picking you up tonight, OK?' she told her as she vanished.

'Er Echizen? Is there something else I should know about you as well?' Yukimura asked his mentor-and crush-with a gobsmacked expression. He knew she's powerful. but still...he never saw her in action before. All he had for vouching was her vast B-Class powers and he was well way behind her by a few notches. He's the 'Child of God' after all. He had to postpone his training for a frigging month just to get the scouts off his rear.

'You should. I planned for everyone involved to know but little by little of course...too much shock in one day is bad for one's health after all.' Ryoma told him with a grin. 'You'll know when you get that videotape.'

NOW Yukimura couldn't wait for that tape. And the fight is TOMORROW!

xxx

After school...Ryoma told her teammates, and her father to gather in the old temple behind their...old house.

'OK hunny, what's with the gathering?' Nanjiroh asked his daughter.

'Tomorrow, will be the Finals in the Ankoku Bujutsukai.' Ryoma told them all wryly. 'And one of the main members is killed off-stage, so I have to replace that person and fight.'

Nine jaws dropped, nine pairs of eyes widened and yes, even Tezuka.

'EHHHHH?'

'And what kind of people ARE in the Finals?' Nanjiroh choked out. 'It's a fighting tournament and all...'

'Well...' Ryoma gulped. 'Team Toguro are all B-Class Fighters AND Demons.' her father and teammates began panicking. 'QUIET! I'm a B-Class too dammit!' she hollered at them.

'B-but you're a human nya! Not demon!' Kikumaru choked out and Ryoma wondered what they'll do and think when she says otherwise but she is quite a difficult case. 'Hime-chan don't die!' he wailed as he glomped her.

'Hey! Hands off my daughter brat!' Nanjiroh grumbled as he pried Kikumaru off his daughter.

'I ain't dyin' anytime soon.' Ryoma reassured her friends and father. 'Besides, if I DID die, Koenma will bring me back to life as it's not yet my time to die therefore there's no space for me in the afterlife. That's guaranteed.' she told them. 'But I don't wanna die either cuz' that's painful like hell.' she grinned.

'The way you say it it's like you speak by experience.' Fuji commented weakly.

'Ahahaha...in a way...yeah.' Ryoma remembered how she died in her previous life. Impaled by bamboo spears all over and while reeling fron the pain, she bled to death s-l-o-w-l-y. She doesn't want a repeat performance, thank you. 'Tomorrow you're guaranteed first-class seats, safety guaranteed to the fight if your parents allow you to go out and skip school for a whole day. And dad has to figure out a way he can go out on a simple day off without the family knowing anything. Your tickets are being handled, so no worries.'

'So we all skip school tomorrow huh?' said Fuji. 'How do we explain to Ryuuzaki-sensei that we'll skip a whole day tomorrow...?'

'I'll handle the old hag. She's my ex-coach you know.' Nanjiroh reassured the kids. 'You'll get off scott-free so your only issue is...your parents. We better plan this well...and Ryoma, you'll be leaving tonight, right?'

'Yeah. I need to know what I'm dealing with. It's a dumbass idea to go in knowing nothing. That _will_ get me killed.' Ryoma chuckled wryly.

'You WILL be OK, right?' Nanjiroh asked her again worriedly. 'You just started to get along with your older brother and I can't have you die two days after you started!'

'I know pops. Like I said, I ain't dyin that easily.' Ryoma promised. "Dying hurt bad, let me tell you!"

xxx

That night, in her room...Ryoma got packing. Her fighting outfit, and two spare outfits. "Yosh...it's almost time." Ryoma thought as she packed everything in a small backpack. She began packing quickly after dinner. Because Botan will pick her up soon. Upon packing everything, Botan appeared in her room.

'Ryoma-chan, time to go.' said Botan. 'I told the boys everything about what you intend to do...needless to say, three out of four freaked out.'

'I can predict who.' Ryoma drawled sarcastically as she hopped on Botan's oar, backpack slung on her back. 'Let's go.'

xxx

In Team Urameshi Suite in Kubikukuri Hotel...they arrived there, at the Main Room.

'Yo.' Ryoma greeted and all hell broke loose.

'Oy Ryoma, you're SERIOUSLY going to tell your team AND you're dad that you're a youkai?' Yusuke asked her incredulously.

'Not really a youkai. I'm just like Kurama. A youkai soul in a human body from reincarnation after a five-century wait although in his case, it's possession.' Ryoma explained wryly. 'It took me until I was twelve years old for my memories to return after numerous soundless dreams and a pair of sickles to appear on my bed at six years old. In America it was soundless dreams but here in Japan, an unknowing close proximity to Kurama finally made sense in the dreams I'm seeing while Kurama knew everything since day one.'

'That's the difference between reincarnation and possession, Yusuke.' Kurama quipped with a cheery smile.

'Well, I'm still new to this spiritual mumbo-jumbo and all I know in it is fighting.' Yusuke griped in an indignant huff. 'Well, we're glad you're here.' he said in relief.

'Aa. I hoped everybody trained hard for the finals...?' Ryoma leered at them all with a glare. Especially at Yusuke and Kuwabara while Hiei had done this for a century and Kurama for a good 3000 years before his untimely death, forcing him to start from scratch, building his body up with her help and with it, his youki.

'Hey! We've been doing as told since the day we met you!' Kuwabara choked out. He didn't fancy getting a nasty kick to his stomach again from her...it took him a good fifteen minutes to breathe properly again!

'That's good and that means we'll survive this one. If we die, Koenma will just bring us back to life for dying at a wrong time therefore no place for us in the afterlife.' Ryoma chuckled.

'That's the same tripe Botan told me in that car accident when I died.' Yusuke deadpanned.

Next day...Ryoma was understandably nervous, as she wore her outfit of 3000 years ago.

'Looking good in there Kuro.' Kurama smiled in approval as his best friend was in the familiar garb he used to see for a long while. 'But uh...' there's something wrong of course. 'Is it OK with most of your chest uh...exposed? You're not a man anymore you know?' he said with a slight blush. Echizen Ryoma's body, with arduous physical training, struck early and is very gifted by puberty. At a young age, she was what they call a 'B' when normally, teens her age would be on 'washboard levels'.

'Meh, this is flat by normal standards, it's barely there.' Ryoma snorted as she looked at her chest. 'Most of it is covered by my shirt anyway.'

'Yes but can you imagine the looks on your teammate and father's faces? They'll sport nosebleeds and a protest for sure!'

'Hey! It's my body, I do what the hell I want with it! Dress included!' an argument occurred and Hiei, Yusuke and Kuwabara who just came out of their rooms, hearing arguments about decency and protest were deciding they were better off not knowing anything...and have anything to do with that conversation.


	35. Team Urameshi VS Team Toguro

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Team Urameshi VS Team Toguro<p>

At 8:00 that morning...at the old temple behind the Echizen old home...

'Everyone all here? Tournament starts at nine.' Nanjiroh told the boys with an impish grin as he looked at all eight boys present.

'We're all here, the whole team.' said Tezuka. All of them were in their school uniforms to keep up the guise to their parents that it's the same ol' routine. School by day, 10 pm at night from the sports facilities. And they told Ryuuzaki that Ryoma would spend more time with her newfound brother while the boys have an all-boys' day out. It took one hell of a convincing to ensure that she doesn't phone their parents home, and the jig was up.

'That's good to hear.' said Nanjiroh. 'We're going to Kubikukuri Island though I don't know how we'd make it in one hour. Even by ship it takes three hours to get there but for some reason when I asked, only VIPs are allowed on that island which means we sneak in.'

'There's a good reason why that island is off-limits to the public.' Botan popped up from above them, sitting on her oar. 'Because of that tournament. You seriously think humanity would accept youkai from myths and fantasy books actually exist?' she asked them wryly. 'That, and that island is owned by the darkness of humanity itself, the Black Book Club. Human mafioso who make money off youkai.' she explained. 'It's one of the very few places here in Japan that youkai are allowed in by Reikai only once every fifty years.'

'That explains why nobody speaks of it.' Nanjiroh grunted. 'But what do the guys at shipping know?'

'That it's a privately owned island by the mafia. That alone speaks volumes and no sane citizen wants to mess with a mafioso or yakuza you know.' Botan tut-tutted. 'It's practically the perfect excuse.' she told them. 'Sooo you guys ready?'

'We're ready!'

xxx

And so...fifty minutes later, they arrived at the stadium...at the front seats.

'Front seats...we're in the freaking front seats!' Momoshiro beamed in glee. They get to see the fights up close! Meaning, they get to see how good Ryoma is up close.

'But we have to sit next to these freaks.' Kaidoh complained. There's youkai sitting besides Tezuka and Nanjiroh, and a whole row of them behind them, screaming for Team Urameshi's deaths.

'It will be fine. I have had some training on my powers. The youkai in the seats are just D-Class. I'm also a D-Class so I can fight on an equal footing. I'll manage.' Tezuka reassured his company. 'It'll be nine soon...'

'But still, this is creeping me out nyaa...and where's hime-chan?' Kikumaru whimpered while shaking nervously at unwanted company and wanted some reassurance. Soon, a demi-human dark-skinned girl with blue newt-like features dressed in what an aerobics outfit would be stepped on stage.

/Ladies and Gentlemen!/ the girl announced. /Thanks for your patience! Welcome to the Finals of the Dark Tournament! Presenting...the Urameshi Team!/ their gate slowly opened up and they all went out. To the boys, they were right beside the team's gate, as Team Urameshi came out.

'There they are!'

'Kill the humans!'

'Die!'

'Our money is on your deaths!'

'Well, no demon is supportive of them.' Fuji quipped dryly with a frown. 'Everybody wants them dead.'

'Humans are just food to youkai and nothing else.' Tezuka drawled. 'This behaviour is not surprising.'

'Hime-chan!' Kikumaru called out at their teammate who sported black feathery wings on her back, and a black outfit. 'She's really ready to kick some butt guys! Her clothes look really cool!'

If only they see the front...

/Aaaand now...the Toguro Team!/

'Yeeeaaahhh!'

'Kill! Kill! Kill!'

'Kill em' all!'

'The fanbase sure is reassuring.' Kaidoh grunted. Momoshiro was about to stand up and bellow support for the Urameshi team when Nanjiroh pulled him back down.

'Forget it Momoshiro, don't reveal anyone that we're humans!' Nanjiroh grunted. 'We are very out of place in here, let me tell you!'

'But...'

'Our presence here is enough.' said Inui. 'It's OK.'

'What? There's only four in Team Toguro!'

'Who's that black shorty with Team Urameshi? Did they switch players?'

'Cheaters!'

'Somebody explain!'

/QUIET! We're getting to that!/ a fox girl yelled. /Team Urameshi reported an accident in their team, thus they called in their substitute member who replaced Genkai. This substitute member has been legally registered since the start of the Tournament but only made an appearance today due to the rules! As for Team Toguro, they cannot continue without five members! Please call out your fifth member!/

/According to the rules also, the Finals will consist of one-on-one matches!/ the newt-girl continued. /A team must have three wins to be the victor of the Tournament!/

'Then shall I summon him now?' said Toguro as the gate behind them opened...to reveal a man in a suit.

'Hey! Isn't he Team Toguro's owner? Can he even fight?'

'OK? A guy in a suit this time.' said Kawamura. 'Tezuka, you sense anything in that guy?'

'No. He's a normal human. He's probably in just to fill the gap because of the rules.' Tezuka told them. 'Most likely he will not fight as he obviously has no capability in doing so.'

As he claimed, that was so. And Sakyou, the Team Owner confidently stated that his team will win, and he bet his life on it.

'Wow, talk about confidence.' Ryoma griped. 'But still, in a way he may be right, and that depends in your levels.'

/Now...let's begin!/ Karasu challenged Kurama by tapping his head with a finger and said, 'Bang!'

'Kura, I know you have a habit of risking yourself to know your enemy's game...but please take note that he is a Quest Class like I.' Ryoma told him. 'Do NOT fool around.'

'You reminded me of that a month ago.' Kurama quipped. 'I will be fine.'

'You had better.' Ryoma grinned. 'It'll damage the reputation Youko Kurama worked before we met you know!'

'Ah, be quiet, you.'

'No mercy.'

Kurama held true to the 'no mercy'. He knows full well what Quest Classes can do, having one for a best friend. Youkai may have some preferences. Heck, Kuronue preferred chained sickles when Quest-Classes can make ANYTHING with their aura. Ryoma was proof of that as she was more versatile in the present than in the past.

Needless to say, he took out the big guns.

He became Youko. His power flared all over the arena, making even nine powerless males feel it, and Tezuka who COULD feel it, was shivering in _fright_. None of them had any idea that Ryoma's best friend who occasionally played with them, was this strong!

'Holy cow! Minamino-san became a white dog!' Kawamura yelped when Ryoma appeared in a blink and sat on the edge of the protectsive walls beside her father. 'But when did he change his clothes?'

'There's no way anyone can change that quick...' Inui choked out. 'The fastest would be thirty seconds but he took ten when the smoke subsided.'

'Not a dog, but a Youko. A rare type and powerful one at that.' Ryoma explained to them. 'That is Shuichi's true form...Youko Kurama.'

'You mean Minamino's a youkai?' Tezuka asked Ryoma with wide eyes.

'Yes...for three thousand years.'

'Whoa! Ancient!' Momoshiro exclaimed. 'He's an old fossil!' at the ring, Kurama twitched at that comment. His ears are sensitive, thank you! 'He's lived that long?'

'He did...until some Reikai Hunter who wanted he bounty on his head shot him. Mortally wounded, Kurama's soul fled to Ningenkai for safety and possessed a woman's unborn child that has yet to receive a reincarnated soul from the afterlife. He then became Minamino Shuichi. Body of a human...but a youkai's soul. But he told me that compared to the dog-eat-dog world of Makai...Ningenkai was a nicer place to live in comparison...and he learned how to love by being loved. His human mother loved him enough to catch him when he fell off a stool as a child, and she caught him...nevermind that there's broken shards of a plate under her arms.' Ryoma told them. 'She had to be operated for several slash wounds on her arms because of the plate shards. And seeing that she willingly risked herself for him without hesitation...humanity began for him. He did all he could to make her happy by being the perfect son she could count on and be proud of. And in turn for her love, he would stay until she no longer needed him. Until then, he's her perfect son.'

'So that's his story...well...wow.' Inui croaked out in marvel.

'Well, shows how love can change people, however cheesy this sounds.' said Nanjiroh with a chuckle. 'If a lady can tame a 3000-year-old fox, what next?'

'How about a black raven tamed by a wealthy family?' Ryoma laughed jokingly but she meant it.

'Now that's something to see.' Fuji commented...while Tezuka eyed his kohai.

Black raven...

And she had black feathery wings on her back. Subtle much? They watched Kurama's match as he made use of demonic-looking plants the players were sure they'd only see in horror movies...but even as a Youko, Kurama was hard-pressed against Karasu who was faster, and played with bombs.

'Dagnabit, Kurama!' Ryoma swore while shaking. 'I know you got some humanity but where's the cold-blooded, merciless youkai against enemies I used to know? You're going too easy on him! He should have been dead ten minutes ago!' she swore.

'Say what now?' her teammates and her father choked out. How can their teammate casually talk about killing and cold-bloodedness? After a bloodied spectacle with his last plant being a vampire plant that bloomed on blood, Kurama barely managed to stand at the countdown...winning by a hair. Ryoma was the first to reach her best friend after he had been proclaimed the winner.

'Kurama, I'm supposed to die first, not the other way around.' Ryoma joked as she got her best friend off the ring.

'Kurama you OK?' Yusuke demanded worriedly. 'Still alive?'

'Last I checked, I am.' Kurama smiled weakly. 'Let's just say that prototypes took a toll on me, that's all.' Ryoma frowned.

'Prototype...Kurama, what did you do?'


	36. Memory Replay

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Memory Replay<p>

Next match was Hiei VS Bui.

Ryoma HAD to watch out for the Kokuryuuha and make sure her guests don't get hit by a crazy dragon running amuck all over the stadium. Her teammates were more than horrified with Hiei than they were with Kurama...especially when she explained to them what the Kokuryuuha is. And the fact that a 90-something year old youkai can pull it off when youkai older than he had trouble was something worth taking note of. That, and he destroyed most of the ring, while he's at it. The wrecked ring forced Sakyou to ask Toguro to bring back the ring from the old stadium...because of a nuisance called rules.

'OK, that was fantastic, amazing, and scary.' said Momoshiro as they talked with the Urameshi Team. 'But there sure is a lot we don't know about you guys.' he said. 'Who'da thunk that Minamino-san's a youkai and a fox?' they all conveniently let slide that Kurama had terrible injuries on his person and he was sprouting plants all over and he just told them the herbs' 'juice' is helping by speeding up his metabolism for him to heal quicker.

'A pretty fox though...when I think youkai, I think of the ghastly ghouls who sit beside and behind us.' Fuji shuddered.

'My, we're very different every now and then.' Kurama chuckled heartily. 'Not all of us are hideous-looking...'

'Well, you guys and those Toguro guys are certainly proof enough.' said Nanjiroh. 'But I've never seen a man who's at least, two meters tall.' he shuddered at the mere thought of Toguro. 'And three times as wide of a normal guy. So Ryoma, two guys left...who will you fight?'

'Our boss gets the giant, I get the scraggly guy.' Ryoma told him. 'That's a done deal. I also got some warning about that one. The giant loves fighting but he appears to have morals and honor. The scraggly? Judging from my teammates' observations, he's your very definition of bastard so I got to watch out for that one.' she quipped. 'I might need...to take off my limiters.'

'What limiters? I don't see any on you.' said Kaidoh as many pairs of eyes roamed on their kohai. Nope, none at all, but Tezuka had the last word.

'Normal humans can't see it.' said Tezuka. 'But she has a white bracelet each wrist with strange writings on them. As long as she has it on, her powers are sealed. Her powers will not influence her tennis games and she can use only her own efforts.' he explained. 'She badgered Koenma to make a pair for Yukimura and myself as well. This is so our powers cannot affect our game. We are proud sportsmen and we do not cheat.'

'Oho! Really now? I want to see it!' Nanjiroh said eagerly. Powerful fighter or not, his daughter even went as far as badger the prince of Reikai to have her powers temporarily sealed for a fair Tennis game!

'I'm wearing the real thing but I can conjure a fake.' Ryoma offered as she made gestures of taking off her invisible bracelets, and she conjured what it looked like for her father and teammates to see before she put her bracelets back on.

'Heee...two is enough to seal the entire deal away?' Fuji asked as they eyed the bracelet.

'They have a warranty of five years though...and that five years' time decreases as the wearer gets stronger.' Ryoma explained. 'Right now, my being a B-Class puts a couple cracks in my bracelet...and I'm on the verge of becoming an A soon...'

'What? An A?' Kurama choked out. How could Ryoma become an A so soon? Then again, she's been following her dreams before her memories returned...she was a C when they met again, months went by she became a B and soon low A? "Wow, how the roles reversed." Kurama thought wryly. 3000 years ago, he was stronger than Kuronue but now, Ryoma, Kuronue's current incarnation, is now stronger than he. He has a lot of work to do...

Three hours came and Toguro's not yet back with the ring. They opted to buy lunch.

But...

'Uh guys...let me be honest with you...' Ryoma choked and went green as she saw the menu. 'We better go back to the hotel for REAL food.'

'Why? This is a fast food restaurant isn't it?' Kawamura asked her but they all got a bad feeling about this.

'Think about it! Most of the customers here are youkai!' Ryoma hissed. The boys thought...they then froze and went green.

The 'meat' on the menu can only be HUMAN MEAT.

'_Now_ you get it.' she deadpanned. 'Let's go to the hotel for a real lunch.'

'But the hotel's too far away from here and we won't make it in time!' Oishi moaned.

'I will and with lunch.' Ryoma winked. 'For now, you guys are safer with Yusuke and the others. With you near them, no moron will dare approach.'

'Well, that's somehow reassuring but there's one thing I'm concerned about.' Nanjiroh frowned. 'What's your relationship with Kurama? You guys look very close...'

'They're best friends, Nanjiroh-san.' said Tezuka. 'They met online in internet...'

'That's what we said for public appearance.' Ryoma told them as she walked on ahead. 'While the truth is that we're best friends...we met in competition...to see who's the better fighter. We were complete opposites. Kurama who's deadliest weapon is his intelligence and I whose deadliest weapon is my trickery...and his icy cold, no-nonsense personality with little mercy to his foes compared to my carefree, lackasidal self...somehow, we ended up a tie...and we got along. We then began working together as thieves...'

'WHAT?'

Ryoma continued on, as if not hearing their outburst as she was completely lost in memories, not noticing her eyes went purple. 'We earned notoriety in Makai. No matter the security, we could bypass it and take what we want for kicks...we became more than best friends...we were practically brothers. We began doing everything together.' Ryoma chuckled. 'Kurama's ice slowly melted. He learned how to smile but that smile is reserved just for me while to his enemies...they'll get the nastier variety that promised death of course.'

'Is it me or she's rambling?' Inui muttered worriedly as Ryoma droned on. They went ahead of her to look at her...only to see her eyes distant...and purple with slits. And she appears to be reminiscing something.

'We better listen.' Tezuka frowned. 'We'll know what's going on soon. No but-ins.'

'We thieved...we killed...we had fun...' Ryoma's voice changed to that of a man that freaked them out. But they soon noticed that the more she rambled, the paler and clammier she seemed. And began sweating from exhaustion. '...we were together for a thousand years. Kurama then gave me a pendant made of a rare gem and silver that could buy you your own mountain range. I treasured that little trinket and always carried it with me and guarded it with great zeal. But 2500 years later...when we ran from the army of a Demon Lord we thieved from, traps that shot bamboo spears...and it cut the chain of my pendant and it fell. Kurama told me to forget it and run as he'll just get me a new one but I couldn't leave it. It was his gift to me. I couldn't bear for a second replacement. It was _that_ important to me.'

'But I triggered a trap. I finally retrieved the pendant at the cost of my life. I was...impaled all over. Kurama looked on in horror and yelled at me why I had to go back for it when he could simply get me a new one...and it wasn't worth losing my life for. While I agreed with him on that point but it's not the pendant I'm after but the memory of how and who I got it from. I got it...from the man I loved as a brother.' Nanjiroh and the regulars listened in astonishment at such declaration. Nanjiroh wished Ryoma could show that same love to Ryoga once they got to know each other well.

'He was all I have as I've been alone as long as I remember. I treasured everything as long as it came from him. He tried to get me out of my predicament but even if he does, the lord's army will get to him too...and some spears pierced a couple vital organs. Even if he did get me out, I'll die soon anyway. Both from blood loss and vital organ piercings. I gave my treasure back to Kurama as I slowly bled to death...and begged him to leave me there and live.' Pierced by spears and die by bleeding? Ouch! 'I didn't want him to end up in a worser predicament. Silver Foxes are very beautiful youkai no matter the gender...sought after for their beauty as mere playthings for lords as well as lovers to a privileged few. I didn't want Kurama to end up a slave to some pervert just because he tried to save me. I begged him to leave me...and eventually, he did in tears. My final proof that he loved me. I died a happy man...minutes later...' and Ryoma fainted after finishing her story, while possessed by her memories.

'Ryoma/Echizen!' Oishi caught their teammate and gasped.

'My god! She's so cold and clammy!' Oishi cried in alarm as he touched her forehead. 'She wasn't like this earlier!'

'We better ask Kurama what to do...she was possessed by something earlier.' said Tezuka worriedly. 'But...what was that? She's talking in a man's voice and speaks of things as if she's done it...'

xxx

Back at the arena...the boys explained to the team what happened to Ryoma. When they relayed what Ryoma revealed out of possession...

Kurama burst into tears of heartbreak. '...he died...a happy man knowing I loved him, he said?' he choked out as tears flowed down his cheeks. 'And that even if I saved him it'll just be meaningless...?' he cried in despair and emotional grief that the regulars fell silent, while Yusuke and Kuwabara looked on in sympathy and discomfort at the sad atmosphere the kitsune was emitting from his memories.

'But what's going on? Why did my daughter get possessed?' Nanjiroh asked him. 'Her eyes went purple and she began talking in a man's voice.'

'Ryoma is the reincarnation of Kurama's best friend, the black raven Kuronue.' they looked behind to see Koenma in his human form. 'Kuronue died 512 years ago in the exact manner Ryoma told you how. And as Ryoma educated Tezuka in how souls undergo transition in Reikai, yes, we guide them to the afterlife but souls, especially those with strong wills have the power to reincarnate every 500 years only. If reincarnation is successful, they are reborn with their memories intact. For youkai, power is included in that rebirth of course. Ryoma has been having dreams of her past life in America. She even woke up with Kuronue's trademark weapons under her blanket in her bed. She took to the weapons like a natural. From a typical tomboy girl...her personality changed in a blink because memories of the person she once was, was returning. And the memories came back faster and stronger when the Echizens moved to Japan. And in a location where Kuronue's spirit could sense Kurama who was nearby whether a few blocks or a prefecture away...the awakening came much faster and a month after the move...Kuronue's full personality merged with Ryoma's. But she started to have an identity crisis.'

'She couldn't tell who or what she is, as she has memories as Ryoma and as Kuronue.' Koenma continued. 'That and she has youki, not reiki because her soul is a youkai despite being in a human body that produces reiki. And as a human, youki is dangerous to people like Kurama and Kuronue as the more you grow in strength, the quicker your human body will be converted to a youkai. Upon reaching A-Class levels, their aging will start to slow down. Once a hundred years had gone by and there's not much physical changes in you, you'd have become a full-fledged youkai. Complete with no heartbeats.' Nanjiroh and the regulars were horrified by this revelation.

'Y-you mean in Heart Monitors, a flat line will appear even if she's alive and perky?' Nanjiroh yelped in alarm as Koenma nodded. 'You've got to be freaking kidding me!'

'I know. That's why I supplied Ryoma with her sealing bracelets.' said Koenma. 'Not only does it seal her power, it also converts youki into reiki so she would stay human. In return that she helps me keep unruly lawbreakers and miscreants in line of course. But due to circumstances, I can only call on her when she's really needed.' he deadpanned. 'Unlike the other boys, she had nearly no free time but she is still in my employ. Her memories merging took two more months after moving to Japan...and she's accepted her destiny that she reincarnated wholeheartedly. If she hadn't, she would suffer a bad case of Multiple-Personality Disorder, with Ryoma and Kuronue's personalities separate entities.'


	37. Ruthlessness

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Ruthlessness<p>

After learning of the truth behind Kurama and Ryoma, Nanjiroh and the Seigaku Team were baffled that their daughter and teammate is a reincarnation of Kurama's best friend who died in a brutal way. A man who also loved Kurama like a brother enough to die alone just to let him go. And she's having identity crisis long before coming to Tokyo?

Nanjiroh never knew how conflicted his daughter had been but she's not saying anything about it. Then again, would anyone believe her?

They watched over Ryoma who Koenma insisted, wear a special blanket to have her reiki regulate around her body and comfort her own soul after a Memory Replay Possession otherwise she would be in no condition to fight Toguro Ani later. Koenma also spent quite a while talking with them to understand Ryoma's case. As a child she's normal...until she gets her memories as Kuronue back around age 7...and the returns got faster and stronger when the family moved to Japan because instinctively, she could feel Kurama and that was what made the recovery faster until her memories fully returned when she was a couple months into middle school. By then, she has to accept that she IS Kuronue otherwise she would have an MPD. And she accepted who she is and is on her final stages of recovery in Reincarnation, the memory replay.

Once she wakes, her personalities and memories will merge in order.

And of course, old habits die HARD. Ryoma's apathy towards anything she dismisses as 'unimportant', her ability to steal, fight and kill, and given who she is, she is protective of things she cares for, but heaven be merciful...but as a human, she's being VERY merciful if only for the sake of her peers by hiding her ruthless side and not killing people who annoyed her. Well, youkai are fair game after living in a dog-eat-dog world for three millennia. And she's perfectly fine where she is as long as she knows her best friend is anywhere nearby.

The raven is quite clingy because genuine companionship in Makai is EXTREMELY RARE. 1/1 million chances a youkai enjoys what most humans take for granted in their short lives.

So as long as you are friends, she will look after you. If you're enemies, your body will be brutally and horribly maimed to death. Simple as that. She lives in a gray world wherein morals hardly matter and it only matters if and only if she cares.

It took Ryoma four hours before she wakes up...barely in time for her match.

'Ryoma, are you feeling OK?' Nanjiroh asked his daughter...who had a growth spurt again.

'I-I'm alright dad.' said Ryoma as they were downstairs in their hotel for breakfast. 'Really, I'm fine.'

'But the stuff Koenma said...'

'Happened in my sleep. If I was awake during the process I'd be moving worse than a drunk stoned on crystal meth.' Nanjiroh sputtered at this.

'Where on earth did you learn about drugs?!'

'Books. Duh.' Nanjiroh groaned at this.

'I really wonder where and how you learn troubling unchild-like topics...'

xxx

'Hime-chan's awake!' Kikumaru practically screamed in the whole suite as the senpais checked on their youngest who recovered from Memory Replay, the final step of Reincarnation.

'Echizen how are you feeling? A little cold or...' Oishi fussed out as Ryoma blushed from all the fussing.

'I'm fine, really!'

xxx

'Hey, she's awake.' said Kuwabara in another hotel room where Team Urameshi resided. 'Aren't you gonna see her Kurama?'

'Its fine...let her family and friends have her for now.' Kurama smiled. 'Besides, we have eternity after all.'

'Oy oy, you mean you'll be marrying her in your future? I thought you guys are practically brothers.' Yusuke blinked owlishly.

'Ma, like I say, we have all the time in the world.' Kurama chuckled while thinking of his best friend who valued him more than his own life. Indeed, true companionship is rarer than all the treasure they could steal in several lifetimes. All of them grew up alone. Left as soon as they were born to fend for themselves and learn by cruel trial and error...and pain is often in the package. 'Because we are youkai in a human body...our youki will slowly convert us into youkai as well. We will become youkai in a few years...that's why I said we have all the time in the world.'

'Yeah, heard about that one.' Yusuke grimaced. Back in the past few weeks, Ryoma refused to heal him with magic until she converted youki into reiki or she would have turned him. 'So she's being very careful when healing my sorry ass...'

'Good to know, otherwise you'll slowly convert like us too.' Kurama chuckled. Being a youkai in a human body, he knows full well how weak he is physically. As a young boy, his muscles naturally formed as what's expected but to be like his old self again, he took up Tennis because right now, Ryoma is stronger than him physically and she's a girl two years his human junior. He switched schools with his mother's permission that has a well-known Tennis Club in it's school just so he could train and follows Ryuuzaki's regime...not the school coach's from his new school. Upon understanding how Tennis Works, he could use his sharp eyes alone and his ability to create powerful spins to make pseudo-flat shots.

He knew he was bound to get attention. His looks, academics and now THIS. And he's also working to gain the respect of his High School Regulars just so he can play next year. Besides, sports clubs are a great excuse to get physically fit.

xxx

Back at the Stadiums...

'Alright gents,' Koenma told Nanjiroh and the eight boys, 'This will get dangerous, so we will watch in a very safe place while we can still watch battles up close.'

'Hey, it's pretty safe in Kurama and Hiei's fight, what makes the last two different?' Nanjiroh asked Koenma as they were...in a computer room in the hotel typical of a military command center. Giant screen included with a lot of oni manning it.

'The difference is that Karasu never stops unless his prey is killed so he ignores everyone else. Bui is an honorable martial artist. That's why the seats are safe until now.' Koenma told them. 'Unlike the girls, you don't have a spirit beast to protect you that's why they can safely sit out there.' he said. 'And the reason why battles are fatal from now on is because while Toguro Oto is like Bui in morals, he can cause massive damages. As for his older brother, he plays dirty, sadistically cruel, a total black soul with no morals and conscience whatsoever as he toys with his victims until they die.' the group paled at this.

'And Echizen is fighting that kind of man?!' Tezuka cried in horror as Koenma nodded.

'I'm afraid so...because the committee lined up the matches.' he said softly. 'And only a Quest Class can kill Immortal Shape Shifters. Granted, Karasu is also a Quest Class but his ability to strategically think to further exploit his powers caused him to lose to Toguro Ani and be enslaved in exchange for his life. Ryoma who lived for 3000 years and now has experience living life as a human that has more resources can get very creative in battle. Before she died, she is on par with Kurama in intelligence in battle. With her past and present, she'll win this one.'

'I hope that's the case...' Fuji shuddered. 'I'm worried for her.'

'Understatement of the year and our youngest if fighting a freak.' Kikumaru grimaced. 'Hope she'll be fine...'

'I'm wondering what to say to my wife if we came home and she has unnatural injuries that can only be done by animals you know.' Nanjiroh choked out. 'While I'm pretty open-minded, I'm not so sure about my missus. It's one thing that she freaked out when Ryoma knows martial arts, knife-throwing and how to use guns...what more about this? She already banned action films from the house and bought comedy and family friendly stuff.' the boys grimaced. Indeed, Mrs. Echizen won't be as accepting judging by her movements alone...

'Then it's safe to say she will freak out.' said Koenma. 'So be a secret-keeper. Even Ryoma knows what will happen if the public gets wind youkai and the supernatural exist. That goes for you too boys. You are now also secret-keepers.'

'Hai, now that she's finished with Yukimura.' Tezuka told him.

'Good. So Nanjiroh, Ryoma will be making house visits...' Nanjiroh gave Tezuka the 'giant Nanjiroh-monster head treatment'.

'No funny business outside practice sonny or else!'

Tezuka sighed as his teammates snickered at his expense.

'...yudan sezu ni ikkou.'

'Heeey it's starting!' Momoshiro cried as everyone quickly looked at the screens.

xxx

At the stadium...Ryoma was facing Toguro Ani.

Her true form is a hindrance right now. Since she's a good seven foot-tall MAN, she cannot compute her moves properly so it's best if she's at least, smaller than the dude somehow.

'So then...how do I butcher you?' Toguro Ani chuckled.

'Maybe we should paraphrase that...' Ryoma chuckled sadistically. 'I know every single trick of yours...and there's an easy way out of that one.' she said as she created a barrier with her youki.

'Hey Kurama, what's she doing? Why is she containing herself with that twisted freak?' Kuwabara asked Kurama worriedly.

'You see, she's just as creative as I am.' Kurama smirked. 'Only, since she has more resources than I do...' Ryoma materialized what looks like a missile with an obvious symbol for a Nuclear Warhead much to the disbelief of humans present, 'She is capable of absolute destruction. In our past, I often have her blow stuff up just to erase evidence we were there.' he snorted. 'I'm better at killing than her, she's better at destruction and devastation than I am.'

'Bye~!' Ryoma cackled as she spread her wings and left the barrier as even the Toguros know what that is...and the warhead exploded and caused the ground to violently shake.

xxx

'S-she's insane!' Kawamura yelped, she just blew up a nuclear missile into the arena?!'

'She knows how to deal with immortals.' Koenma gasped out. 'To truly kill them, you have to destroy every single scrap of them! That's exactly what she did!'

xxx

After the explosion cleared up...what seems to be a bottomless hole is seen that replaced the arena.

'...and it took six hours to replace that ring.' Sakyo deadpanned. That was all he could say while impressed. A young girl of adolescent age just instantly destroyed one of his best fighters in a single blow!

/L-Look that that folks!/ Koto, the commentator cried as the smoke cleared to show a seemingly bottomless pit. /However, with no ring as per the rules.../

'O-oy, Ryoma!' Yusuke gasped out as Ryoma shrugged.

'You'll lose even if you killed him!' Kuwabara sputtered out.

'I don't care about losing if there's no ring.' Ryoma drawled. 'I can fix that in a few minutes. I knew that by blowing up that ring to put an end to that freak, I would lose even if I killed him because it'll take more than ten seconds to fix it. To kill an immortal regenerative shapeshifter, absolute destruction is the way down to the last cell and the strongest arsenal I have is a baby nuclear warhead I designed. But instead of firing radioactivity, it fires explosive youki shockwave instead so nobody has to worry about radiation and shit.' she chuckled. 'I accept my loss out of technicality. I just wanted to kill him, that's all.' she said with a Kubrick cold gaze. 'I watched every fight he's in and safe to say he pisses me off. He is absolute trash not worthy of our respect as fighters. The fact I killed him is enough gratification and satisfaction. So...your call, fish girl.' the referee who gulped shakily stood up.

/U-um, right!/ she cried. /Due to this unusual circumstance, the committee must decide on who wins, loses or if it's a draw! Er Ryoma-san, can you fix the ring?/

'OK.'

/We will have a short intermission with the Committee regarding this case!/ the fox girl cried. /Please wait for a few minutes!/

xxx

'OK, I want an explanation, Koenma-san.' Kaidoh demanded. 'What did she mean by that? While I understood how she killed him, what did she mean by other fights?'

'George, play Toguro Ani's matches.' Koenma ordered.

'Yessir!' a blue oni cried as he fiddled with the computers and on the screen showed hundreds of files and then the file of Team Toguro was played...

Needless to say they were torn between horrified and disgusted. It wasn't fights at all. It was just flat-out brutal, cruel sadistic torture play. Not actual fighting. And given how Ryoma researched by watching all this...

They don't know her fighting code but even this pissed them off.


	38. Aftermath

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Aftermath<p>

After Ryoma repaired the ring...it was time for Yusuke vs Toguro Oto's match.

'Oy Ryoma,' Hiei told her. 'You didn't lose on purpose just because you blew up the ring knowingly, right?' he asked her suspiciously.

'Hooo? What's your theory, Hiei?' Ryoma answered him with a smirk.

'The rules. Kurama and I won our fights.' said Hiei. 'And you can easily win yours. However if you won, Yusuke can't fight Toguro because three victories are required to win. As a sportsman, you have become a rule-stickler.' Ryoma giggled before laughing in a rather feminine manner.

'Aiya...I got caught!' Ryoma chuckled. 'Yes, I did it just so Yusuke can have a turn.' she snorted. 'And I just wanted an excuse to kill a really hateful guy, that's all. He could easily become a problem in our future so I did away with him.'

'That's all?' Kuwabara sweatdropped in disbelief at how casual she is with this as if saying 'hey, it's sunny outside!'.

'Yup.'

xxx

'So that's why...?' Nanjiroh twitched as they listened to the team talk.

'...she's more complex than anyone I met.' Fuji twitched. 'Maybe it's because she is three thousand years older than us despite her physiological age.'

'Age and wisdom come hand in hand.' Koenma told them.

xxx

They watched Yusuke and Toguro's fight. At first Yusuke could not do a thing. Mere fingerflicks that fired shockwave hits were a long-range attack as it is. Then when Yusuke found a way to get closer as the two increased their power levels to dangerous degrees, until Toguro reached 100%, and killed several audience members by consuming their souls to power himself up. As the viewers try to run as far away as possible from the fight, Sakyo presses a button which then activates a giant wall around the stadium, trapping every single person and demon inside. He then states that their lives are worth less than the tickets they had purchased in order to see the finals. Then unexpectedly, Genkai possessed Pu and told Toguro to kill Kuwabara so that Yusuke's complete strength could be brought out in their fight out of rage and anger much to everyone's collective disbeliefs as Team Urameshi braced themselves while Yusuke helplessly looked on...as Toguro pierced Kuwabara's chest and killed him...or so it seems.

When they were out of earshot by Yusuke who brought out his power out of sadness and grief...Kuwabara who was still alive whispered to the others not to say he's alive and may as well milk his 'death' for all it's worth so Yusuke can win against Toguro. They fought to the point where they each sent a major blow to each other, though Younger Toguro was unaffected by Yusuke's Rei-Gun at full power. After unleashing their attacks, Yusuke comes out on top, overpowering Toguro with his full potential. Having used too much of his power, including his life force, by blocking Yusuke's attack, Younger Toguro's muscles crumble, and he dies.

Before he died, he thanked Yusuke for allowing him to use such great strength and die in the hands of a human. Yusuke was declared the winner by the Commentator Fox and Referee Fish-Girl but Yusuke, still in grief about Kuwabara's death could not accept the win...until Kuwabara revealed he was faking it and he could because Toguro really didn't pierce his heart at all! It didn't help that the others were joking about it though they had to do it and play along with Genkai's idea because Toguro played along too. Why else was Kuwabara still alive? Ryoma added insult to injury by saying, 'Be cruel to be kind.'

Needless to say, Yusuke wasn't too happy and beat up Kuwabara in a fury.

However, Sakyo wasn't done yet...

He pulled out a button switch and pressed it...

It was a bomb set to blow up the stadium in fifteen minutes much to horrified disbelief.

'Hey! My daughter's in there!' Nanjiroh yelped in horror. 'How do we get them out?!'

'Sakyo raised walls, they can't run out even if they DO get outside the stadium!' Oishi yelped in dismay as Koenma shook his head.

'Have you guys forgotten Ryoma's a Quest Class?' he deadpanned as at the screen, they watched as the team went up the stadium seats to get to the girls...and Ryoma indeed has a way out. She changed into her youkai true form, as in her current self, she could not carry everyone's weight. She developed giant wings and feathery tails for the team and the girls to grab on to, and she flew them out. 'Hora?'

'Mattaku...I guess she practically has everything.' Kaidoh snorted. 'There's no need to worry after all.' and since they were in the hotel, they were all safe.

Soon, Team Urameshi and the girls were back at the Hotel...

xxx

'So everyone won in the end.' said Oishi. 'Technically all of you got what you wanted. So what's your wish?'

'Yeah, we heard from Koenma that all of you has a wish for a prize.' Momoshiro grinned. 'So what're your wishes?'

The team was however, silent. The four of them had rather somber, wistful looks while Ryoma stayed firm in her silence.

'...secret.' she said. 'Ma, we have our own secrets.' she chuckled.

'That's true.' said Kawamura. 'But uh...' he eyed her true form while blushing. 'Are you gonna stay like that? We'll be going home soon.' Her true form as the youkai Kuronue changed a bit. Her form is that of a very beautiful man. And since her current self is a girl, it also reflected in her true form. However...and as a youkai adult, she is noticeably very stacked where it counted, they can even see the underboobs, much to the team's embarrassment. Nanjiroh just didn't care because this is his daughter and he certainly would NOT perv on her.

'Oh, this? It'll be a few hours before this wears off...' Ryoma sighed as she looked at her muscular arms. 'So we'll be here a bit while longer.'

'I prefer if we have our true forms back though.' Kurama snorted. 'So you're at a level where you can change at any time?'

'Yup. But I have to wait this out. While I can change, transforming back is another issue.' Ryoma pouted. 'Somewhat irksome. You'll know when you reach my level how annoying this is...particularly when we have a busy schedule.'

'Right...'

A few hours later, Nanjiroh and the boys went home around sundown and because Ryoma is still in her youkai form, she could not come with them. So she hung out with her fighter peers and students.

'Ahh...it's too bad chibi-chan can't come home with us.' Kikumaru pouted.

'It can't be helped, she's still in her super-form Eiji-senpai.' said Momoshiro. 'And also when she's like that...she seems like she's a world far away from us. Once she's back to being the shorty we're used to, we can easily have her back.'

'Yeah. Right now she's far away.' said Inui. 'Makes me wonder who's the senpai and kohai given our age...'

'You brats don't need to worry about that.' Nanjiroh snorted. 'All we should care about is that she's Echizen Ryoma. Kuronue is a thing of the past. Right now, she's my daughter and she's your teammate and friend. That's all that should matter, not some ancient history.'

'Ojisan is right. Ryoma is Ryoma.' Fuji smiled. 'History is where it should belong. History.'

xxx

At the hotel, while the others had fun and gone drinking, there are those who didn't join the party.

Hiei because of his nature and old habits die hard. He's just satisfied with watching them.

Ryoma in her current life, is not a drinker or a party girl. When the party ended, it was three am. And Ryoma was by the beach by herself, still in her youkai form.

'Found you.' behind her, was Kurama. 'Never thought you'd be at a beach. Normally you'd like very high places where it's very windy.'

'Yeah, but the sea is just as windy.' said Ryoma. 'And I spent my human childhood by the sea. Diving, swimming...I've done it all.' she said as she felt arms wrap around her although at her current self, Kurama was too short for her and his arms reached her waist. So she sat down and he too, sat just to be behind her. Only this time, his arms are around her ample, full breasts. 'Kurama, what brought this on?' she asked him with a smile.

'Just felt like it.' the redhead smiled as he lowered her down so he could look down on her. 'And did you really mean it? That you love me?' he asked as he gazed at her.

'Yeah. I love you.' Ryoma smiled. 'I love you as family.' despite smiling, Kurama's heart broke. 'We're best friends, almost brothers. Friendships like ours are very rare because of how youkai live. And having someone like you was worth more than the treasure we steal. As long as we're here, we're never alone. Never lonely. Just by being with you, I was happy when we really became friends. I valued you more than my own life. How about you? Do you love me?' she asked him as around this time, she shrunk back to being human. And Kurama lowered his head that his fringes are obscuring his eyes.

'Yeah...I love you.' said Kurama as he held her in his arms. 'I love you, idiot.' and he held her close to him. What he meant by love, he loves Ryoma as he would to a mate but she loves him as a brother. He would find a way to change that. They DO have eternity. Ryoma snuggled into his arms and enjoyed each other's warmth and they stayed together until sunrise.


	39. Normal? Not Normal? A boy's feelings

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Normal? Not Normal? A boy's feelings<p>

At Reikai...

Botan winced as she watched the two best friends with Koenma and George on the screen.

'Ouch...poor Kurama.' Botan felt sorry for the redhead who was quite stunned that the love he wanted from Ryoma isn't exactly what he hoped for. 'Ryoma-chan doesn't love him the way he hoped for.'

'Ryoma values companionship very much, and she's unusual for a youkai.' Koenma told his subordinates. 'She has a big heart for those she truly cares for. Her wish was that those she grew to love would have happiness for the rest of their lives until their deaths...meaning, I have to fulfill their innermost desires to be happy for the rest of their lives within her human lifespan.' he deadpanned. 'I'm fulfilling loads of wishes and the more people she loves, the more wishes I have to grant until they all die!' he snarked out. 'Her family, her friends...and she'll have even more friends since she's easily likeable. But there are some wishes I cannot grant involving influence over free will.' he said. 'That's good to know. Hopes, dreams and ambition, I can certainly grant but I can choose WHAT to grant just to maintain balance and I don't want to grant evil wishes either.'

He leaned into the backrest of his armchair. 'She sure asked for a troublesome wish. And I suppose this can also be Kurama's punishment. Too bad for him Kuronue never knew what romantic love was like in his entire lifetime. He'll be working for it.'

xxx

At home at the Takeuchi Mansion...

Ryoma snuck into her home to get to her room. Upon access inside, she went to the bathroom for a bath, before going upstairs to dry her hair with a blower...and go to sleep in her comfy soft bed, unaware she just broke her best friend's heart.

The next day...

'Oy bishoujo, whatever happened to sleeping over at a friend's house?' Nanjiroh piped up over breakfast. The cover was Ryoma went for a sleepover just to get a big homework done with some help.

'I can't sleep there.' Ryoma got her acting done and feigned annoyance and irritation. 'The neighbors next door had a loud, rowdy teenage party I can't sleep!' she whined. 'So after we got done, I went home straightaway around 2 am.'

'Honey!' Rinko gasped out. 'It's dangerous to go home at that hour!' she chided.

'I value my sleep more than curfew rules mom.' Ryoma snorted. 'Rowdy neighbors with just as loud music I won't be able to survive school today!'

'So how did you get back in?' Ryoga blinked. 'At that hour, our gates are locked and our security system activated! The alarms would have rung!'

'I'm just talented in sneaking around.' Ryoma grinned, causing Nanjiroh to snort. 'It's my specialty.'

xxx

Hospital that morning, Yukimura got the videotape of Team Urameshi's matches from start to finish. And Ryoma...really didn't show her fighting ability. All she did was blow up her opponent to smithereens to be very sure he's dead. She sees him as trash not worth her time and purposefully lost out of a technicality simply because there's no ring and fixing it would take more than the ten-second headcount.

But at least he got an idea on what youkai fights are like.

He got even more motivated to train even more.

xxx

After the Tournament, normal life resumed once more. News that Kurama won't be coming anymore because he changed schools just to go to a school with a Tennis Club in it, much to everyone's surprise. But to the Regulars who knew the truth, it was to get himself in shape as out of the team, he was physically the weakest and he wanted to change a bit. Gain a few muscles for instance. Tezuka is also training under Ryoma to raise his skill level and develop his own powers. She also spars with him at his house.

Training in Tennis, whether physical conditioning, practice matches and skills training, it was hell with Inui Juice on the line.

Then there's practice matches with Fudoumine and St. Rudolph...although atmosphere is tense between Fuji and Mizuki because the latter taught Yuuta a dangerous move.

Then on the 20th of June...was the Quarterfinals. Their opponent is Midoriyama, a school whose tennis team is...apathetic. All of the regulars are second-years, and the team has 3 specialist coaches. However, their arrogance and some of their members are rude. An attitude Tezuka definitely did NOT like, and practically told his team in his own way to 'slaughter them' as they were not only arrogant and rude but also not taking Tennis seriously like they were. An order everyone was gleeful to do. While they worked their asses to get this far, these people comes along apathetically without any care on what's at stake which pissed them off.

Needless to say, they delivered brutal defeats with no mercy, leaving them shaken at straight sets.

They advanced to the quarter-finals which will take place at four days after the first round of Kanto Tournaments. Their opponent, Rokkaku.

And this is their weekend after the first round before their next match comes along.

At the beach resort...

"It's been a while since I was last at a beach." Ryoma thought, her eyes practically sparkling as she was at a familiar sight. Sand, the ocean breeze and the sea.

'Yosh everyone! Today's a day off, so relax and have fun!' Ryuuzaki told the regulars.

'Hai~!'

'Tezuka I'm leaving you in charge.' Ryuuzaki continued. 'I still have people to meet and all.'

'Hai.' with that, their coach left.

'Now then, let's go to the hotel and get settled down first.' Oishi grinned. 'THEN we can do whatever we want, just don't get lost and be back by sundown!' and so...everyone indeed, had fun their own way! By the time they got back, some of them tanned a bit, some didn't due to favoring indoor activities. Notably Ryoma who favored deep indoor swimming pools as mostly everyone is at the beach, so she didn't get a tan.

She would have gone to the beach but too crowded. She wanted the beach to herself, but alas...

Upon return to the hotel room, everyone enjoyed seafood, karaoke and games and partied till midnight.

The next day, they went home around ten am to do their own weekend thing.

xxx

'Naa chibi-chan, I heard you went to the beach.' Ryoga grinned as he was tying up his shoelaces. He was going to...leave.

'Yeah. But it wasn't what I hoped for.' Ryoma grumbled. 'Is there any beach in Japan that's just like home in America?'

'You really like it private and jumping off of high spots for a deep dive right?' Ryoga chuckled as he got her in a playful noogie.

'Yeah. The beaches here are no fun.' Ryoma grumbled.

'Maa maa...our family has a private beach ya know?' Ryoga grinned. 'When summer starts, you can go there anytime! Most of the time, it's public for business but ya gotta plan in advance if you want it private so the hotel staff can act accordingly.'

'Right.' Ryoma sighed. 'Where are you going anyway?' she asked him.

'Well, overseas. I got hired, yanno?' Ryoga told her. 'Me and a buncha foreign high schoolers that makes seven of us.'

'Heee...your client?'

'Some shipping magnate who likes Tennis, Sakurafubuki.' said Ryoga. 'We did some research on the dude and he tends to have rich guests on his suite when Tennis Games are played...grandpa asked me to be careful.'

'Why? You're the better player than me here.' Ryoma pointed out. Ryoga shrugged.

'The day I got the invitation, the family photo frame fell off the frame of the fireplace...and the only area that was cracked, was where my face was.' he said. 'You know how superstitious our old folks are. Nobody believes those these days!' he said with an eyeroll.

'If you say so...'

xxx

'That's what your brother thinks?' Yukimura blinked owlishly as Ryoma told him what her brother told her. 'Well, given the world we're in now, he really should believe superstitions.' he deadpanned. 'And we are in a circumstance where all violence jokes and superstition come true.'

'Aa. But he has yet to face what we dealt with. Darkness, violence, horror and fear.' Ryoma whistled. 'If something bad really does happen...I'll just kill them all before they get my brother, that's all.' she said casually.

'Jeez, you say such things so casually.' the older boy sighed.

'You should too. Because it's either them, or you, your family and friends. You gotta do what you gotta do. Simple as that.'

'So how's Tezuka's training going?'

'Still at the basics. I have standards you know.'

'Ah, sou ka.' Yukimura then coughed, causing Ryoma to glance at him. 'Naa, do you have someone you like?' he asked her with a slight blush.

'That's a difficult question...I like everyone I know.' Ryoma deadpanned, causing Yukimura to head-drop.

'Not THAT kind of like, you know, um...romantically?' by this time, Yukimura had to be very blunt, causing him to blush.

'Oh, _that_ way. Say so sooner.' said Ryoma wryly while noting his reaction. 'I dunno...I just like everyone the way they are. Romance can wait when this body is a bit older. I don't know anything about being fourteen but I guess that kind of feeling comes at your age, so excuse me if I don't feel that way yet.'

'I suppose. But if you did turn fourteen...who would you like?' Ryoma wondered what's with all these questions when its pretty OBVIOUS Yukimura likes her that way if his blushing was any hint as well as his hopeful question.

'Dunno. I have two years to worry about that.' said Ryoma. 'I guess this is what my family means that I have no maiden's heart whatsoever because girls my age or younger have what they call 'puppy love'. Didn't even have that in grade school.'

'Then what if someone kisses you?'

'It's just a kiss.' said Ryoma, not caring at all. At this, Yukimura's fringes hid half his face.

'Hooo? Just a kiss eh? Then _don't mind if I kiss you_.' Ryoma thought he was joking...apparently not because he really did kiss her after using his hand to tilt her chin and face upwards. On her lips but it's a chaste one...and that's how Rikkaidai saw them. Jackal was quick to cover Kirihara's mouth to shut him up as did Niou to Marui with their hands and they quickly bowed out, red-faced and blushing.

'I see...so you like me that way.' Ryoma mumbled with a slight blush. 'Since when?'

'Forever, I guess. Since the day I saw you on the hospital roof actually...' Yukimura grinned. 'It was interest at first...but the more you came to see me...I guess that was it.' he said. 'I have loads of girls who say they like me and admire me...but none of them ever went to visit me not even once. So their so-called feelings for me are just superficial. Fake. I hate them all.' he sneered. 'Then there's you, a girl who never knew of my reputation and infamy...you came here on my first selfish request of you and then on your own volition...you're here. Every day. Just seeing you just made me want you more. I looked forward to your visits since you're the only girl I know who cares.'

'Well...I have loads of people I care for.' Ryoma chuckled. 'I like friends a lot because my past was lonely. I hate being alone.' she admitted. 'Yeah, I like you but the way I am now, love isn't part of the equation. Maybe when I get older. Maybe I'll feel that thing you feel.'

'I hope so...' Yukimura smiled softly. 'I'll be waiting. We have all the time in the world.'

xxx

Hospital Lobby...

'Holy shit on steroids...' Kirihara sputtered frantically, red-faced and so was his senpais. 'We practically heard a freaking confession!'

'We know that, we know.' Niou drawled. 'Sheez, 'Mura...of all girls it had to be the man-girl.' he chuckled in amusement.

'He has a point.' said Yagyuu. 'All of us have our admirers who fess their eternal love and yet not one of them visited Seiichi not even once. When he gets back to school, makes me wonder what will happen.'

'Bah, they're just fangirls.' Sanada sneered. 'What would they know? They're nuisances at best and worst. If he does win Ryoma over it'll be good.'

'Heee...you're shipping them Genichirou?' Yanagi asked his vice-captain. 'Ii data.'

'I know Ryoma. Heck, her cousin is Atobe of all people and our families are tied in the business industry so we see each other a lot. I know Ryoma and I approve.' said Sanada firmly. 'Who knows about Atobe though...'

'He'll freak.' they chorused.


	40. Kurama's Opportunity

Since she was a little girl, Ryoma found herself with troubling dreams, and abilities which she keeps hidden. She is also plagued by demons, another thing she hides from her team until she gets a fateful invitation...

* * *

><p>Kurama's Opportunity<p>

Seigaku...

Through Inui, chaos occurred among the regulars on Monday when he called for a boys' only meeting at the rooftop without Ryoma knowing as she is by the library where she frequently spends her time reading books on lunchbreak.

'Everyone, I just received an urgent message from a friend of mine.' said Inui. 'And it's vital that we must know of this.'

'Er what about chibi-chan? She's not here.' Kikumaru pointed out.

'Well, she already knows so no point of calling her up here.' said Inui.

'Out with it Inui-senpai, what's so urgent?' Momoshiro whined. Inui looked at his teammates/friends and coughed.

'Here I go. NO interruptions. To be double sure, someone less likely to scream, be around those likely to scream and cover their mouths.' he said. Oishi went for his Doubles Partner, Kaidoh went for Momoshiro, Fuji went for Kawamura. 'Yosh...my old tennis buddy who is now in Rikkaidai sent me a concerning e-mail when the team visited Yukimura in the hospital. And all of them walked in on Yukimura kissing Echizen.' several jaws dropped. Tezuka's glasses went white and cracked. Fuji's usually-shut eyes opened wide. 'They quickly hid outside the halls and heard Yukimura practically confess his love.'

'N-no way...?' Momoshiro squeaked.

'Yukimura...likes her?' Kikumaru choked out.

'Un.' Inui nodded. 'However, to our fair lady who has no maiden's heart whatsoever had no idea how to answer that.' he continued. 'And he said he's willing to wait for two years for her to understand.'

'But isn't she 3000 years old?' Kaidoh piped up. 'She should know about that better than we would.'

'Kaidoh, because of violence in Makai, women are very rare. Nearly extinct in fact.' Tezuka told him what he learned from Ryoma. 'Because of that, male demons are forced to evolve for reproduction. And Kuronue, never seeing a man and woman in love in his world of violence and fight for survival will never understand love. She may be older and wiser than us, but she'd be a total idiot in romance.'

'Same goes for Minamino-san probably.' said Fuji. 'All youkai are total dunces when it comes to love I suppose and she's only twelve so yeah, of course she won't think about love yet. Poor Yukimura.'

'And get this, _Sanada_ is _supporting_ the pairing.' Inui continued, causing many jaws to drop again. 'Apparently, the families meet for business gatherings and he got to know her...and he personally approved if it'll ever work out. Shocked my buddy while he's at it. However, our concern is...'

'Atobe, right?' Tezuka snorted. 'They're cousins.' his phone rang and when he looked at the LCD... 'Speak of the devil...' he mused as he saw Atobe's surname blinking on his phone.

/TEEEEEZUKAAAAA!/ Tezuka held away his phone because of Atobe's shrill shriek of outrage, causing his teammates to face-fault. /KEEP MY BABY COUSIN AWAY FROM THAT HUMAN OCTOPUS THIS INSTANT!/

'You know I can't do that.' Tezuka drawled on loudspeaker. 'We can't control her unless it's school-related and tennis-related things.'

/NOOOO! HE HAS NO APPROVAL OF THIS ORE-SAMA'S AND HE DARES STEAL HER FIRST KISS?! I'M GONNA KILL HIM! KILL-ahk!/

'...did he choke?' Kawamura wondered aloud.

'I think someone KOed him, Taka-senpai.' Kaidoh sweatdropped.

/...sorry about that Tezuka,/ came Oshitari's apologetic kansai-ben dialect. /He was frothing and apoplectic with rage when he got Sanada's call and it took him a while to get sane enough to make that call. Kabaji was wise enough to get him outta the courts before he exploded./ all of Seigaku sported an awkward dark atmosphere of awkwardness and cold air breezed by complete with a tumbleweed behind them. /Well, we'll keep the phone away from him in the meantime and you can be sure her family will hear about this./ he drawled.

Indeed, at home...

'NOOOOOO!' Nanjiroh wailed in childish anguish while glomping Ryoma who just got back from school. 'My baby! Her first kiss!' he screamed as if his favorite TV series was cancelled.

'Huh? How'd you know of that?' Ryoma blinked owlishly. For one thing, HIEI is her first kiss and that's for medical purposes!

'We got word from Kei-chan, Ryoma.' said Rinko in glee. 'You finally found a boy who likes you~!'

'Rinko, she's too young for giving us grandkids!' her mother scolded.

'I know but a quick match would be nice~!' Rinko squealed happily. 'My baby is a girl after all!'

'Rin-chan nooo!' Nanjiroh wailed and Ryoma wondered how long this insanity will last.

'Hunny, we'll have some special lessons tonight OK? _Ladies only_ lessons.' Ryoma's paternal grandmother beamed before glaring at her husband, the paternal grandfather and Nanjiroh. 'So boys OUT!'

Kurama has no idea of this occurring as he is focused on getting in shape and Tennis...

xxx

'Huuu...this school is just as insane as Seigaku in training...not that I mind since I'm seeing results.' Kurama mused as in the locker rooms, he's seeing muscle in his lower forearms and whistled.

'Oy Minamino!' one of the boys yelled. 'Coach's calling!'

'Eh? Uhhh hai!' he cried as he went out to see the coach.

'Minamino,' said the Coach. 'It's not long that you were here...and you said you have no experience?'

'Yes...so far my first ever match was Fuji Syusuke-kun of Seigaku when a friend dragged me over and got me hooked.' said Kurama sheepishly. 'And I trained with them since but never played a match after that. My physical condition was lousy back then so I would join them in training sessions while watching...then I decided to change schools.'

'Hooo? But you're doing so well against the non-regulars in straight sets. I noted that you have keen eyesight and you always tend to react before the other guy can even hit the ball, knowing where it'll go. So your Motion Vision enables you to predict moves just by movements alone.' he said. 'Next year had your physical conditioning be better and the third years graduate, you'll be a shoo-in for a Regular.'

'Hai...but I'm nothing to the regulars for now.' Kurama chuckled. 'Maybe when my body gets better.'

'Then you'll be liking this one.'

The Coach told him something that shocked the redhead.

xxx

Seigaku...

Ryoma had a talk with Kurama on the rooftop regarding what the coach had in mind for him.

'Heee...that's a rare opportunity! Take it!' Ryoma cried. 'Because of this damn body I'll never get to even step foot in there!' she moaned at the unfairness of life. 'State of the art facilities and equipment, luxurious arrangements and I hear the coaches are the best in the country! I'll kill you if you turn down that offer when others would want it! Take it!'

On the other side, Kurama held his cell phone away from his ear from Ryoma's wailing urges for him to go because she never could due to rules. 'Is that place really that good?'

/Yeah, niisan goes there every summer!/ said Ryoma. /Hellish training and education aside, it produces real manly Tennis Players good enough to represent Japan. You really should consider yourself lucky! You can even get to play overseas in a year or two!/ she sputtered out in excitement.

'Haha, wakatta, I'll take it if it's really great as you say. Besides, your brother can look after me there so I'll be fine for a few days there at least before I can be there on my own.' Kurama chuckled. 'Give me your brother's phone number...'

'No need for that.' Kurama paused as he turned around to see a tall, blonde-haired boy. 'I know the facilities well. I take it Coach recommended you to the U-17 Camp?'

'Uh hai.' said Kurama. 'You are?'

'Irie Kanata, a 3rd Stringer Court.' said Irie. 'I will educate you about that place so at least, you know what to expect.'

/Shuichi, you still there?/ Ryoma called out.

'Uh yeah, a senpai who's been-there-done-that came with an offer to help me out since he's also in said camp. I'll be fine.' Kurama reassured her. 'I'll accept the recommendation and offer since knowing you, had you been born a guy you'd jump at it. I'll be there for you.'

/Haha, you better! Oh, and go see the Drunken Coach. That guy you talked to should know who he is if he DID go to U-17! Ja!/ and Kurama put away his phone.

'So you're friends with a Tennis lover?' Irie asked him.

'Yeah, she got me hooked into the sport.' said Kurama. 'I've been training with Seigaku on my free time and Ryuuzaki-sensei didn't mind until I upped and switched schools. But I'm still doing the training they do after school after club. Those guys are insane...my girl friend included. The Nationals is serious business because some of them are graduating and the lengths they go is so crazy I had to use all willpower I had to carry my sorry self home.'

'That's understandable.' said Irie. 'Prestige to school aside, it also draws talent scouts to you and you'll have career opportunities as a pro. Wait...a girl? In a boy's club?' he said after a short pause.

'Ara, looks like someone forgot some rules in the rulebook.' Kurama chuckled as he explained Ryoma's situation.

xxx

'Hooo...U-17 huh? That's lucky.' Yukimura whistled. 'Maybe when we go to high school, we'll get such an opportunity too.'

'You guys are lucky, I'll never get to go there.' Ryoma pouted sulkily. 'If he turned it down I'll really kill him!' Yukimura sweatdropped. Sure the young demon loves tennis to a level but would she go that far?'

'Maa maa...' he said. 'Surely there's opportunities for high school girls camp too?' he tried to reassure her.

'No means nooo! It's not the same!' Ryoma whined and that was the first time Yukimura saw her throw a childish tantrum, limb-flailing included. 'If you got invited, what're you gonna do?'

Yukimura grinned.

'You're asking ME? I'll take it of course!'

At home, Ryoma practically demanded her father train her hard in the countryside in the summer when Nationals ended because she didn't want to get left behind.

xxx

Soon, Quarterfinals came. At the parking lot, there's lots of activity.

'Naa, what's with the noise over there?' Ryoma wondered aloud as not far from them are tall guys in red jerseys playing with kids.

'They're our opponents, Rokkaku Chuu.' said Oishi. 'We met them yesterday while you're on your usual visit. By the way, how's Yukimura?'

'He said his parents are close to paying what the doctor charged them for the surgery.' said Ryoma. 'With the money, the doctor can fly over here and operate on him. His operation day...happens to be on semi-finals day.'

'If we won against Rokkaku, our opponent will be Rikkaidai. No doubt about it.' Inui told the team. 'So far, nobody won the Kanto Medal against them for three years' straight.'

'We will win it.' said Tezuka strongly. 'Yudan sezu ni ikkou.'

'Hai!' the team roared seriously as they marched up to greet Rokkaku.

'Heeeey!' they waved at them.

'Yo!' Fuji greeted. 'Echizen let me introduce you, this guy is an old friend of mine before I moved to Tokyo.'

'I'm Saeki, Saeki Kojiro. Yoroshiku.' Saeki greeted. 'So she's your female player eh?'

'She has yet to lose an official match in all tournaments we're in.' said Tezuka.

'Ehhh?! That's so amazing!' the tall buzz cut boy exclaimed.

'She lost to buchou though.' Momoshiro grinned and reaction was quick. Ryoma was curled up on the ground, drawing circles with her finger complete with a depressed aura. Everyone sported chibi expressions and comical flyaway hairs.

'Maa maa, you'll win against him someday.' Kawamura chuckled reassuringly. '6-3 isn't a bad result! Everyone gets only one game if they got lucky!'

The Seigaku Boys didn't know how to react. She's a skilled fighter, thief and killer and nothing can bring her down except...well, her loss to Tezuka. She's still sore about it, apparently.


End file.
